Iran reopens airspace

TEHRAN (AFP) — Iran announced Thursday that it has reopened its airspace, including over Tehran, after closing it on 13 June due to the war with Israel, according to state media.

“Tehran’s Mehrabad and Imam Khomeini international airports, as well as those in the north, east, west and south of the country, have been reopened and are ready to operate flights,” the official IRNA news agency reported.

Domestic and international flights from all airports across the country — except those in Isfahan and Tabriz — will operate between 5 a.m. and 6 p.m., authorities said.

Flights from those cities will resume as soon as the necessary infrastructure is in place, according to IRNA.

Iran closed its skies entirely last month after Israel launched a wave of air strikes, prompting Iranian retaliatory missile fire.

A ceasefire between the two foes came into effect on 24 June.

The country had already reopened airspace in eastern Iran and expanded access for international overflights following the truce.

Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the army must draw up a plan to prevent Iran from threatening Israel again after the arch-foes fought a 12-day war last month, in comments released Friday.

The Israeli military’s “current mission is to prepare an enforcement plan to ensure that Iran cannot threaten Israel again,” Katz said at a meeting with military leaders Thursday, according to a statement released by his ministry.

“The army must prepare on the intelligence and operational level to ensure that the air force maintains air superiority over Tehran, the ability to enforce restrictions on Iran and prevent it from rebuilding its capabilities,” he added.

Israel launched a bombing campaign against Iran on 13 June following a decades-long shadow war, saying it aimed to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon — an ambition Tehran has consistently denied — and degrade its ballistic missile arsenal.