Iranian aviation authority says reopened 2 main airports in capital Tehran -- Iranian media

TEHRAN -- Iran's Civil Aviation Authority said Monday the permit has been issued for the resumption of passenger flights at the Imam Khomeini International Airport and Mehrabad International Airport in the capital Tehran starting Monday, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

Passenger flights at airports in Urmia, Abadan, Kermanshah, Shiraz, Kerman, Rasht, Yazd, Zahedan, Gorgan, and Birjand will also resume as of Saturday, the authority said in a statement cited by Fars.

Separately, Iran announced on Sunday that international flights from Mashhad International Airport in the northeastern province of Khorasan Razavi would restart the next day.

The country reopened its eastern airspace to international flights on Saturday, paving the way for the partial resumption of airport operations.

Iran shut down its airspace after joint US and Israeli strikes starting on Feb. 28, halting civilian aviation operations across the country.

The aviation authority has said that flight services at Iranian airports will gradually return to normal once technical and operational preparations are completed by military and civilian authorities.