At least 17 flights between Dubai and Iran scheduled for Friday have been cancelled, following a nationwide internet blackout in Iran. The blackout was imposed by authorities to curb growing unrest, as anti-government protests have swept through several cities.
Nationwide protests over economic hardships began at the end of December, with demonstrations over inflation and the rial's decline. The unrest has since spread to universities and provincial cities. In a televised address, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed not to back down, accusing demonstrators of acting on behalf of émigré opposition groups and the United States.
Flydubai, the Dubai-based airline, said flights to Iranian cities including Tehran, Shiraz, and Mashhad on Friday had been cancelled. The airline stated it would continue to monitor the situation and revise its flight schedule accordingly, without specifying the reason for the disruption.
Other airlines have also been affected. Turkish media reported that Turkish Airlines cancelled 17 flights, Turkey's Ajet cancelled six, and budget carrier Pegasus Airlines cancelled flights to Iranian cities on Friday. Additionally, at least two flights between Doha and Tehran scheduled for Friday were cancelled, according to the Hamad International Airport website.
