Iraq denies closing airspace as flight notice cites military activity

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Security Media Cell on Friday denied reports that the country had closed its airspace ahead of a possible U.S.-Iran military confrontation, saying flights were operating normally and only a small area had been set aside for military training.

The reports of a nationwide closure on news outlets and social media were inaccurate and did not reflect the measures security authorities had taken, said the cell, which speaks for Iraq’s security forces.

“What happened was the designation of a very limited airspace, for purely training purposes, as part of the annual firing exercise carried out by the Air Defense Command,” the cell said in a statement.

The live-fire drills involve various weapons systems, and the measure is neither a general closure of Iraqi airspace nor a suspension of civilian flights, the cell said. Security conditions across Iraq were stable, it added, and it urged media organizations and social media users to rely on official sources and not to spread unverified reports.

Government spokesperson Haider al-Aboudi also denied Friday that any restrictions had been imposed. “All air routes are available, and there are no restrictions at all on air traffic in Iraqi airspace,” he told the state-run Iraqi News Agency.

Transport Ministry spokesperson Ali al-Khalidi said in a statement that flights were continuing under approved navigation procedures, with no mandatory change to their routes. The Civil Aviation Authority had rejected reports of a notice to airmen imposing temporary restrictions or mandatory routes on aircraft crossing Iraq, he said.

The denials came after a notice to airmen, numbered A0471/26, required aircraft on certain Iraqi air corridors, and those flying to Baghdad, Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and Kirkuk airports, to follow designated flight paths and air traffic control instructions. The restrictions apply from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily from Saturday to Wednesday. The notice cites military activity but does not say what kind or which forces are involved, and it does not close any airport or suspend commercial flights.

The notice set off speculation online. Some social media posts urged travelers to postpone their trips and linked the measures to fears of an imminent confrontation between Washington and Tehran. Other unverified claims said the United States had warned Baghdad of coming military operations, though no official announcement supported them.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi told President Donald Trump in a phone call that Iraq would not allow its territory to be used to launch attacks on neighboring countries. Two days earlier, Trump told Fox News that U.S. forces had struck an anti-aircraft facility on Iran’s Qeshm Island, near the Strait of Hormuz, and described it as a minor attack.

Regional fighting has repeatedly grounded Iraqi aviation. Iraq closed its airspace on Feb. 28, when the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran began, and reopened it April 8 after a ceasefire. It closed again June 7, when Iran fired missiles at Israel, and reopened the next day.

On Sept. 18, Iraq returned large parts of its western airspace to civilian aviation after nine years of military restrictions. Air traffic crossing Iraq has risen by an average of 31% since then, the Transport Ministry said in October.