Protestors on streets in Iran
Dubai: Iran further extended an order closing its airspace to commercial aircraft without explanation early Thursday, January 15, as tensions remained high with the United States over Tehran’s crackdown on nationwide protests.
A notice to pilots said the closure was estimated to last until 7.30 am local time. A previous order had closed the airspace for just over two hours.
The Iranian government offered no explanation of the decision to shut its airspace.
Iranian officials signaled on Wednesday, January 14, that fast trials and executions lay ahead for suspects detained in nationwide protests, while the Islamic Republic promised retaliation if the US or Israel intervenes in the domestic unrest.
The threats emerged as some personnel at a key US military base in Qatar were advised to evacuate, even as President Donald Trump made a series of vague statements in a span of 24 hours that left unclear what American action, if any, would take place against Iran.
The Islamic Republic shut its airspace to commercial flights early Thursday morning for several hours, without explanation, a notice to pilots read.
In comments to reporters, the Republican president said he had been told that plans for executions in Iran have stopped, without providing many details. The shift comes a day after Trump told protesters in Iran that “help is on the way” and that his administration would “act accordingly” to respond to the Islamic Republic’s deadly crackdown.
“We’ve been told that the killing in Iran is stopping — it’s stopped — it’s stopping,” Trump said at the White House while signing executive orders and legislation. “And there’s no plan for executions, or an execution, or executions — so I’ve been told that on good authority.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also sought to tone down the rhetoric, urging the US to find a solution through negotiation.
Asked by Fox News what he would say to Trump, Araghchi said: “My message is: Between war and diplomacy, diplomacy is a better way, although we don’t have any positive experience from the United States. But still diplomacy is much better than war.”
The change in tone by the US and Iran came hours after the chief of the Iranian judiciary said the government must act quickly to punish the thousands who have been detained, including by fast-tracking executions.
Activists warned that hangings of detainees could come soon. The security forces’ crackdown on the demonstrations has killed at least 2,615, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported. The death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades and recalls the chaos surrounding the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency said 2,615 of the dead were protesters and 153 were government-affiliated. Thirteen children were killed, along with 14 civilians it said were not taking part in protests.
More than 18,400 people have been detained, the group said.
Gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult, and the AP has been unable to independently assess the toll given the communications being disrupted in the country.
This post was last modified on January 15, 2026 11:18 am