Iran reopened its airspace on Thursday morning following a temporary shutdown that coincided with signs President Donald Trump may be stepping back from potential military strikes against Tehran.
The closure lasted for more than four hours and appeared to end shortly after 7 a.m. local time, as several domestic flights were already airborne.
Although tensions between Washington and Tehran remain elevated, Trump struck a cautious tone during a press conference in the Oval Office on Wednesday. He said he had been informed that executions of protesters in Iran had stopped, a possible indication that more pragmatic voices within his administration have argued that military action would be too risky.
“We’ve been told that the killing in Iran is stopping, and it’s stopped and stopping, and there’s no plan for executions or an execution,” the president told reporters, offering few additional details.
His remarks followed recent messages directed at Iranian protesters, in which he said that “help is on the way” and that the US administration would “act accordingly” in response to actions taken by Iran’s government.
However, Trump did not specify what form any US response might take, and it remained unclear whether his comments signaled a full pause in potential action.
Despite appearing to soften his earlier red line, the president indicated that military strikes against the ayatollah’s regime remain an option. He said his administration is closely monitoring the violent crackdown on demonstrations that has reportedly left at least 2,500 people dead.
“We’re going to watch and see what the process is. But we were given a very good, very good statement by people that are aware of what’s going on,” Trump said when pressed on whether he would authorize military force.
His comments triggered immediate backlash from anti-regime activists on social media, many of whom accused him of backing away from earlier promises to intervene if protesters were harmed.
Some users on X said the president had effectively abandoned protesters by offering Tehran an exit ramp. Critics revived the acronym TACO—“Trump Always Chickens Out”—a phrase coined by Wall Street traders to describe his past reversals on tariff policies.
Earlier in the week, Trump repeatedly warned that the US would intervene if protesters were harmed and promised “strong action” should executions proceed.
Iran’s airspace closure was implemented through a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) issued by the country’s Civil Aviation Organization. The order barred all flights except permitted international arrivals and departures. Issued at 5:19 p.m. EST, it remained in effect for just over two hours and was later extended.
Data from FlightRadar24 showed a sharp drop in aircraft over Iran as the order took effect. International carriers diverted north and south around the country, but flights resumed once the restriction expired.
The decision came amid heightened tensions over Iran’s violent suppression of nationwide protests and the possibility of US strikes in response.
Particular attention has focused on the case of 26-year-old protester Erfan Soltani, who was expected to become the first demonstrator executed during the crackdown. His family later confirmed that he was not executed on Wednesday.
Soltani, a clothing shop employee, was detained alongside thousands of others after protests driven by economic hardship escalated into days of deadly anti-government unrest.
A close relative, Somayeh, who lives abroad, told The Associated Press that the family had been informed the execution was scheduled for Wednesday but was postponed when they arrived at the prison in Karaj, northwest of Tehran.
She said the family has spent the past six days in anguish and now faces even greater uncertainty.
On Tuesday, Trump met with his national security team after describing the scale of killings in Iran as “significant.”
Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and senior National Security Council officials began developing options for the president last Friday, ranging from diplomatic engagement to military strikes.
According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 2,586 people have been killed during the crackdown on protests.
On Wednesday, Iranian officials signaled that detainees from the nationwide protests could face rapid trials and executions, while the Islamic Republic warned of a “decisive response” if the US or Israel intervened.
These threats emerged as some personnel at a key US military base in Qatar were advised to evacuate by Wednesday evening.
Mohammad Pakpour, commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, reiterated claims—without evidence—that the US and Israel instigated the protests and were responsible for deaths among protesters and security forces.
He added that those countries would “receive the response at the appropriate time.”
Earlier Wednesday, Iran’s judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei urged authorities to move quickly to punish 18,000 people detained during the unrest.
In a video shared by state television, he said: “If we want to do a job, we should do it now. If we wait two months or three months, it won’t have the same effect.”