Iran denies plans to strike neighboring airports over US flight bans

Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) has denied speculation that the country plans to respond militarily to recent US aviation restrictions by striking airports in neighboring countries, saying diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute are continuing.

Negotiations described as ongoing

According to Iran's state news agency IRNA, the SNSC said negotiations with relevant countries aimed at lifting what Tehran describes as unlawful flight restrictions are being "seriously pursued and followed up," pushing back against reports suggesting Iran was considering military action against airports used in connection with the bans.

The denial comes amid heightened tension between Iran and Western countries over aviation and broader security matters, with the flight restrictions cited in the report forming part of a wider set of measures affecting Iranian access to international airspace and aviation infrastructure in recent months.

Diplomatic channels emphasized

By emphasizing ongoing negotiations rather than military options, Iranian officials appear to be seeking to lower tensions surrounding the flight ban dispute, framing the matter as one to be resolved through diplomatic engagement with the countries involved rather than confrontation. Iranian officials have in the past paired firm public rejections of specific escalation claims with continued diplomatic outreach on related disputes.

The statement did not specify which countries or negotiating channels were involved in the ongoing talks, and it remains unclear when a resolution to the flight restriction dispute might be reached.