Erbil airport adjusts flight schedules amid regional tensions

ERBIL — Erbil International Airport reported Friday that flight schedules have been adjusted in recent days, while confirming that no flights have been officially canceled and operations continue as normal.

Ahmed Hoshyar, director of Erbil International Airport, told 964media that as of noon Friday, “no flights have been canceled and the airport is open.” He said that beginning Feb. 16 and 17, “a certain pattern of changes emerged, with airlines themselves requesting postponements, not permanent cancellations.”

Hoshyar explained that in some cases a flight scheduled for Friday was postponed at the airline’s request to a later date. “The flight will still operate, but the timing changes,” he said.

He added that the schedule adjustments are related to the regional security situation and tensions between Tehran and Washington, prompting airlines to adopt precautionary measures.

Recent indirect nuclear talks between the United States and Iran, held in Geneva and Oman, have reportedly produced progress on what Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi described as “guiding principles,” though he stressed this does not constitute a formal agreement. President Donald Trump has set a short timeline, saying it will become clear within 10 to 15 days whether a deal can be reached and warning that “bad things will happen” if Iran does not engage constructively.

Since late January, the United States has been building up its military presence in the Middle East, deploying aircraft carrier strike groups, fighter jets and missile defense forces. The buildup has been described as the largest U.S. military air power presence in the region since the 2003 Iraq invasion.