Khaberni - The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) advised on Friday that airlines should avoid Iranian airspace due to the potential of US strikes and the readiness of the Iranian armed forces.
In a bulletin directed at airlines, the agency recommended not "operating flights in Iranian airspace," at "all altitudes."
It particularly mentioned "the current situation and the possibility of the United States undertaking military action, which has put the Iranian air defense forces on high alert," increasing the risks.
The statement continued, "The presence of a broad arsenal of weapons and air defense systems and the potential use of these, along with unexpected governmental reactions and the possibility of activating surface-to-air missile systems, pose a significant risk to civil flights."
Protests began in Iran on December 28 with a strike by Tehran bazaar merchants due to deteriorating living conditions, but they turned into a widespread protest movement with political slogans including the overthrow of the regime that has held power since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
According to figures from the Norway-based organization "Human Rights in Iran," at least 3428 protesters have been killed in the protests. However, the organization cautioned that the death toll might be much higher.
Human rights organizations reported that the authorities conducted widespread arrest campaigns in response to the protests, with estimates that the number of detainees could reach up to 20,000.
The opposition channel "Iran International," broadcasting from abroad, reported that at least 12,000 people had been killed, citing high-level government and security sources.
Trump repeatedly threatened Iran with American military intervention if protesters were killed, and encouraged the Iranian protesters to take over government institutions, stating that "help is on the way" to them.
However, two weeks after he first offered his help, and after the Iranian forces had killed, according to estimates, thousands of protesters, no American action has been recorded; in fact, on Friday, Trump thanked Iran for canceling "all scheduled executions" of protesters.
