Iranian Carrier Resumes Flights to China
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The Israel-Iran conflict is further straining airlines that have already diverted routes due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Photo: Mahan Air
Iranian carrier Mahan Air has resumed some round-trip passenger flights between major Chinese cities and the Iranian city of Mashhad even as Israel and Iran continue to exchange missile fire.
The airline has begun operating a daily flight from Shanghai to Mashhad on Mondays and Thursdays and a return flight on Wednesdays and Sundays, according to its flight schedules. It will also operate a flight from Beijing to Mashhad on Tuesdays and a return flight on Sundays.
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- Mahan Air resumed round-trip flights between Mashhad, Iran, and Chinese cities Shanghai and Beijing, with plans to expand further, amid ongoing Israel-Iran missile exchanges.
- Iran reopened airspace after airport closures, evacuating about 1,000 Indian nationals; neighboring countries limited or closed airspace, and regions are designated "high risk" for civil aviation.
- Airlines are rerouting to avoid conflict zones, causing Saudi overflights to double to 1,400/day and Afghanistan overflights to rise nearly 500%.
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Who’s Who
- Mahan Air
- Mahan Air, an Iranian carrier, has resumed some round-trip passenger flights between major Chinese cities (Shanghai, Beijing) and Mashhad, Iran. This resumption occurs despite ongoing missile exchanges between Israel and Iran and the recent labeling of Iranian airspace as "high risk." Mahan Air also plans to restart flights to Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
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What Happened When
- Christmas Day 2024：
- An Azerbaijani passenger plane was reportedly shot down by the Russian military over Russia’s southern airspace.
- June 13, 2025：
- Israel attacked Iran’s nuclear and military sites.
- June 13, 2025：
- European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) published a bulletin labeling the airspace of Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon as 'high risk' to civil aviation.
- June 13, 2025：
- Israel limited its airspace to flights departing to the west (according to Flightradar24 and NOTAMs).
- After June 13, 2025：
- Iran closed its airspace following Israel's attack.
- By June 19, 2025：
- In the week through this date, daily flights over Saudi Arabian airspace reached about 1,400, double the volume from a month prior; flights over Afghanistan increased by nearly 500%.
- June 20, 2025：
- Indian media reported Iran reopened its airspace for evacuation; around 1,000 Indian citizens flown from Mashhad to New Dehli on three Mahan Air charter flights.
- June 21, 2025：
- Mahan Air announced resumption of certain passenger flights between Chinese cities and Mashhad, Iran, with services available through July 20, 2025, and plans to restart flights to Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
- As of June 23, 2025：
- Iraq had completely closed its airspace.
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