Flights between Iran and five countries — China, Russia, Turkey, Pakistan and Thailand — continued operating on 25 September even as services to Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Oman faced restrictions or outright suspension, according to Iran's state-affiliated West Asia News Agency (WANA).

The dispatch frames the disruption as a "U.S. air blockade," language not echoed by U.S. regulators, the FAA, or any third-country carrier named in the report. What is verifiable is a sharp bifurcation of Iran's international network: trunk routes to three large Eurasian partners remain live, while shorter Gulf and Levantine links have thinned or stopped.

Which routes are still flying?

WANA's 25 September update names five states with continuing Iran services:

• China
• Russia
• Turkey
• Pakistan
• Thailand

A significant share of Iran's commercial air traffic is linked to China, Russia and Turkey, the agency said, with the remaining services described as primarily serving tourism-related travel. The report does not name the carriers involved, list flight numbers, or specify daily frequencies.

Where are the restrictions?

According to WANA, flights from Iran to Iraq, the UAE and Oman have "faced restrictions or suspension." The dispatch does not specify whether the limits originate with Iranian authorities, the host states, or third-party action — a distinction that determines whether operators can route around the disruption or must accept the closure.

Why the framing matters

The "air blockade" language reflects Tehran's narrative rather than a documented U.S. order. U.S. restrictions on Iranian carriers — affecting aircraft sales, parts supply, and overflight privileges for designated airlines — have constrained the sector for years, but a formal operational closure of Iran's airspace has not been declared. Carriers from third countries continue to operate Tehran services where bilateral arrangements and licensing conditions allow.

Iranian officials, including the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, have "warned countries cooperating with the United States in this regard," WANA reported, without quoting the official directly or naming the states addressed. The agency did not publish the warning's text or distribution list.

Network consequences for operators

For Iranian carriers, the loss of Gulf connections is commercially significant. Iraq, the UAE and Oman historically handle a large share of Iran's regional point-to-point demand, including religious tourism to Shia holy sites in Iraq and onward connections through Dubai and Abu Dhabi hubs. Suspension of those flows would push more transfer traffic onto Turkish and Russian gateways.

Continued China and Russia services preserve Iran's long-haul trunk routes, which anchor narrow-body and wide-body utilization on the country's largest aircraft. Turkey remains Iran's busiest Western gateway, fed by both flag-carrier and low-cost operations. Pakistan and Thailand links serve a mix of diaspora and leisure demand, with the latter heavily seasonal.

What to watch next

The next hard signal will be a route-by-route schedule update from Iranian operators, a corresponding NOTAM or airline advisory from Iraqi, Emirati or Omani authorities, or an explicit host-state statement clarifying whether the restrictions are political, technical, or commercial in nature. Until then, the shape of Iran's map — open to the east, partially closed to the south — looks set to persist, and any expansion of the restrictions list will determine whether more Asian and Eurasian carriers are forced to re-route or curtail Iran services.