ISTANBUL

Iraq’s Civil Aviation Authority said Saturday it has extended the closure of the country’s airspace to all incoming, outgoing, and transit flights for an additional 72 hours.

In a statement carried by the official news agency, the authority said the extension takes effect from 12:00 p.m. local time (09:00 GMT) and will remain in place until 12:00 p.m. Tuesday as a temporary precautionary measure.

It added that the decision is based on ongoing assessments of the security situation and regional developments, noting that it will be reviewed in line with new developments.

The authority said airlines and relevant entities will be notified of any updates.

The move comes on the 29th day since Iraq first closed its airspace on Feb. 28 following the outbreak of the Israeli-US war on Iran, with the measure repeatedly reviewed and extended in line with continued escalation.