Airspace Closed, Flights Cancelled as US-Iran Conflict Flares

A traveler checks departure times as many flights are cancelled at Beirut Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, as many airlines canceled flights due to the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Asharq Al Awsat

07:11-1 March 2026 AD ـ 13 Ramadan 1447 AH

Asharq Al Awsat

07:11-1 March 2026 AD ـ 13 Ramadan 1447 AH

Airspace Closed, Flights Cancelled as US-Iran Conflict Flares

Thousands of flights have been delayed or cancelled in the biggest disruption to global air transport since the Covid pandemic as airlines suspend services to the Middle East following the US and Israeli attacks on Iran.

Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates all announced at least partial closures of their skies after Saturday's strikes and Iran launching missiles at capital cities around the Gulf region, said AFP.

Major carriers from the Middle East, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the United States announced widespread cancellations, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.

Notable airlines that cancelled services included Emirates, Etihad, Air France, British Airways, Air India, Turkish Airlines, and Lufthansa.

According to aviation analytics company Cirium, of around 4,218 flights scheduled to land in Middle Eastern countries on Saturday, 966 (22.9 percent) were cancelled, with the figure rising above 1,800 if also including outbound flights.

For Sunday, 716 flights out of 4,329 scheduled to the Middle East have been cancelled, Cirium said.

Flight tracking website FlightAware meanwhile said more than 19,000 flights had been delayed globally and more than 2,600 were cancelled as of 0230 GMT Sunday.

- Airspace closures -

Iran swiftly closed its airspace as the strikes began "until further notice", said the spokesman of Iran's Civil Aviation Organization, quoted by the Tasnim news agency.

Israel also closed its airspace to civilian flights, Transport Minister Miri Regev announced.

Qatar's civil aviation authority said it had temporarily closed the Gulf state's airspace.

Iraq shut down airspace, state media said.

The United Arab Emirates said it was closing its skies "partially and temporarily".

Syria closed part of its airspace in the south along the border with Israel for 12 hours, the Civil Aviation Authority said.

Jordan's air force was conducting drills to "defend the kingdom's skies", its military said.

Kuwait closed its airspace.

- Middle East and North Africa airlines -

Gulf carriers Emirates and Etihad cancelled 38 percent and 30 percent of their flights respectively, Cirium said.

Qatar Airways suspended all flights from Doha. It cancelled 41 percent of total flights, according to Cirium.

Syria Air, the country's national carrier, cancelled all flights until further notice.

Egypt's national airline, EgyptAir, announced the suspension of its flights to cities across the Middle East, including Dubai, Doha, Manama, Abu Dhabi, Beirut and Baghdad among others.

- European airlines -

Russia's air transport authority Rosaviatsia said all commercial flights to Israel and Iran were cancelled "until further notice".

Turkish Airlines cancelled flights to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Jordan until March 2.

Air France cancelled its Dubai, Riyadh and Beirut flights for Saturday, and flights to Tel Aviv until Sunday.

British Airways said it was not flying to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until March 4, and cancelled flights to the Jordanian capital Amman on Saturday.

Swiss International Air Lines suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv until March 7, and cancelled flights from Zurich to Dubai scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

Germany's Lufthansa, which comprises Swiss and ITA Airways, cancelled its flights to and from Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Erbil and Tehran until March 7.

The airline group and its subsidiaries suspended flights to and from Dubai and Abu Dhabi until Sunday.

- North America airlines -

Delta Air Lines suspended New York-Tel Aviv flights until Sunday.

American Airlines "temporarily suspended" Doha-Philadelphia flights.

United flights to Tel Aviv are cancelled until Monday, and flights to Dubai until Sunday.

Air Canada said it cancelled flights from Canada to Israel until March 8 and to Dubai until March 3.

- Asia-Pacific airlines -

India's two largest private carriers IndiGo and Air India suspended flights to all destinations in the Middle East.

Pakistan International Airlines, the flag carrier of the country that borders Iran, said it had suspended flights to the UAE, Bahrain, Doha and Kuwait.

Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific suspended flights to Dubai and Riyadh.

Garuda Indonesia, Indonesia's flag carrier, temporarily suspended flights to and from Doha "until further notice", the company said in a statement Sunday.

Singapore Airlines and Singapore's Scoot cancelled six flight routes in the region until the end of Sunday, local media reported.

Philippine Airlines flights from Manila to Doha, Riyadh to Manila, and Dubai to Manila were cancelled on Saturday, as well as one Doha-Manila flight on Sunday.

Other major airlines including Australia's Qantas and Japan's All Nippon Airways did not announce any flight cancellations.

- Africa airlines -

Ethiopian Airlines cancelled its flights to Amman, Tel Aviv, Dammam, and Beirut.

Kenya Airways has suspended its flights to Dubai and Sharjah until further notice.

Peru Cuts Ties with Iran, Accusing Tehran of Escalating Middle East War

Peruvian Foreign Minister Carlos Espa gestures during his presentation ceremony at the Foreign Ministry building in Lima on July 31, 2026. (AFP)

06:20-2 September 2026 AD ـ 20 Rabi’ Al-Awwal 1448 AH

Peru Cuts Ties with Iran, Accusing Tehran of Escalating Middle East War

Peruvian Foreign Minister Carlos Espa gestures during his presentation ceremony at the Foreign Ministry building in Lima on July 31, 2026. (AFP)

Peru's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday it has severed diplomatic relations with Iran, accusing Tehran of inciting "an escalation of conflicts" in the Middle East and hindering maritime transit in the Strait of Hormuz.

Citing a historic pacifist stance, the Peruvian government "has made the decision to sever diplomatic relations with Iran," the ministry said in a statement.

The war in the Middle East has restarted in recent days, with new US attacks on Iran on Sunday, and retaliatory tit-for-tat strikes since then.

"Peru views with deep concern the severe restrictions imposed by the Iranian regime, as well as the disruption of international trade through the Strait of Hormuz," the ministry said in a statement.

Peru also accused Iran of obstructing the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency, saying Tehran had denied inspectors access to nuclear facilities on different occasions and hindered verification needed to prevent the production of nuclear weapons.

Despite severing diplomatic ties, Peru said consular relations would remain in place to protect the interests and nationals of both countries, in accordance with the relevant Vienna conventions.

Peru's conservative President Keiko Fujimori campaigned on iron-fist security policies and took steps to join US President Donald Trump's Shield of Americas initiative days after taking office July 28, signaling a willingness to work with Washington.

A few days ago, Peru's neighbor Chile announced the closure of its embassy in Tehran, but did not decide to sever ties for economic and security reasons.

Peru's statement came as the US launched a barrage of airstrikes against Iran on Tuesday, prompting Iranian retaliation, in the most serious escalation in weeks in a conflict that has driven up global energy prices.

World

Hopes of Finding Survivors Dim a Week After Catastrophic Nepal Flood

People work during a search and rescue operation near the Hydropower Project sites, following deadly flash floods and mudslides hit parts of Nepal, in this handout obtained by Reuters on September 1, 2026. (Nepal Army/Handout via Reuters)

06:15-2 September 2026 AD ـ 20 Rabi’ Al-Awwal 1448 AH

Hopes of Finding Survivors Dim a Week After Catastrophic Nepal Flood

Hopes of finding more survivors among the thousands still missing in Nepal were fading, authorities said on Wednesday, a week after a glacier collapse in the Himalayas unleashed flash floods that devastated the mountainous nation.

At least 1,050 people have been killed and nearly 4,000 remain unaccounted for, with officials fearing many are buried under debris left by the floods that tore through towns and valleys near the Chinese border.

Across the border in Tibet, China's official toll has held steady since Sunday at 16 dead and 546 missing.

"The hope of finding survivors is decreasing," Phanindra Paudel, a senior official at the government’s National Emergency Operation Center (NEOC), said. "We pray ‌and are hopeful. ‌Hope is hope!"

Rescuers are trying to find survivors believed to be ‌trapped inside ⁠the tunnels of ⁠several hydroelectric plants, whose powerhouses have spaces and rooms for people to stay, army spokesperson Raja Ram Basnet said.

Authorities said 279 people had been rescued from the ruins of hydropower projects, but at least 639 more were still missing, some of whom are believed to be trapped in tunnels.

FOCUS SHIFTING TO REHABILITATION

"Looking at the nature of the disaster and the area which has been hit by the flood, as days go by there are less chances of human survivors," Binoj Basnet, a ⁠retired senior army general who oversaw the search and rescue operation ‌during the 2015 earthquake in which about 9,000 people were ‌killed, said.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah said the focus would shift from search, rescue and relief operations towards ‌rehabilitation and reconstruction.

"The government is now focusing on rehabilitation while working to protect the lives of ‌people in the affected areas and providing necessary medical treatment and psychological counselling," Shah said in a late-night post on social media on Tuesday.

The disaster left at least 2.2 million tons of debris, according to a preliminary estimate by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), including parts of buildings, rocks, and sediment, the equivalent of ‌six Empire State buildings.

"The amount of debris shows the scale of the destruction and the challenge communities face as they clear homes, roads ⁠and public spaces and begin ⁠to rebuild," it said.

PUBLIC HEALTH RISK

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said aid agencies were "very concerned" about the growing public health risk from overcrowded shelters, contaminated water and damaged health facilities, particularly for women and children during the monsoon season.

About 3,900 people remain unaccounted for and nearly 3,500 people are living in 27 displacement sites across the hardest-hit districts of Nuwakot and Rasuwa, Dujarric told a regular UN press briefing on Tuesday.

Shah said his government had stepped up surveillance and response measures to prevent possible outbreaks of disease in flood-affected areas.

The Himalayan region faces severe risks from future glacial floods, a senior UN official said on Tuesday, a sentiment that Shah echoed in his post.

"Questions about why the ice and rock collapsed and how such a large volume of water was generated must be answered by the global community," Shah said.

China has linked the flood to climate change as well.

World

G20 Finance Leaders Close Talks Marked by US Welcoming Russia

A plenary session meeting on financial literacy takes place as world leaders in finance join with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for the 2026 G20 Financial meetings on September 1, 2026 in Asheville, North Carolina. (Getty Images/AFP)

06:02-2 September 2026 AD ـ 20 Rabi’ Al-Awwal 1448 AH

G20 Finance Leaders Close Talks Marked by US Welcoming Russia

G20 finance leaders closed their two-day gathering on Tuesday with a statement that all but China backed in full, as Washington insisted that the presence of a Russian minister had no effect on talks.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the fact that nearly all participants agreed to the chair's statement suggested "there has been no impact" from Russia's attendance.

Ukraine's European allies had expressed frustration after Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov was welcomed at the US-hosted meetings in Asheville, North Carolina.

The broiling Middle East war and President Donald Trump's tariffs also loomed over the gathering.

The chair's statement called for "free, safe, and predictable navigation through the Strait of Hormuz," though China dissented from that section.

The key waterway has been largely blocked by Tehran since the war began in late February with US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

A traditional "family photo" of G20 participants was taken Monday without Siluanov, following European officials' protests.

At a separate G20 innovation gathering in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, participants took two group photos, allowing European leaders to be separated from Russia's delegation.

An EU spokesperson said representatives were only given short notice of Siluanov's attendance.

"It created discomfort, no doubt about that," Canadian Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne told AFP on Tuesday when asked if Siluanov's appearance had a bearing on discussions.

EU economy chief Valdis Dombrovskis told reporters that it was not the time to "normalize" Russia's presence at such events.

He said Moscow's inclusion entails discussing sensitive economic matters with representatives of a government that is "waging an aggressive war" and "killing civilians on a daily basis" in its conflict in Ukraine.

But Bessent countered at a press conference: "I know that some Europeans had a sour taste, but I think it's very important to engage."

"And I will point out that the finance minister who I met with is unsanctioned," he added of Siluanov.

The tension also comes as Germany blamed Russia on Tuesday for an attempted "hybrid attack" involving a drone at a strategic German airport last month, and unveiled diplomatic counter-measures.

The United States holds the rotating G20 presidency, and Washington was also pushing this week to rally support from partners on Iran sanctions and reducing trade imbalances.

Asked if he also pressured Russia to cut its support for Iran, Bessent earlier told reporters that "many conversations are best done privately."

- 'Persistent imbalances' -

Another topic China took issue with was a declaration that "excessive and persistent imbalances pose risks and can generate economic distortions."

The section called for countries to "take steps to eliminate non-market policies." This echoed criticism of excess industrial capacity in the world's second biggest economy, which critics say creates unfair competition and drives prices lower.

"We need to discuss and look at collective action, because global imbalances as they are today are not sustainable," Champagne said. "Everyone has to be at that table."

The G20 comprises 19 nations plus the EU and the African Union, and was established in the wake of the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis to boost global economic and financial stability.

The Asheville finance talks also set the stage for a G20 leaders' summit that Trump will convene in December in Miami.

Another issue that came up was support for Ukraine, which was discussed on the sidelines at a meeting by the narrower Group of Seven advanced economies.

Moscow has intensified its strikes on Kyiv this summer. US-brokered talks remain frozen while the Kremlin has maintained its maximalist demands to end the war.

German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said Tuesday there has been an "increase in brutal rocket attacks on the civilian population."

"This all has to come to an end," he added.

Klingbeil said he and other European ministers "made our position on Ukraine absolutely clear." As G7 leaders met late Monday, he said Ukraine's finance minister joined remotely for talks on support for Kyiv.

Airspace Closed, Flights Cancelled as US-Iran Conflict Flares

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