ICAO Condemns Iran for Airspace Violations in Middle East

The Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has condemned the Islamic Republic of Iran for violating the territorial integrity and sovereign airspace of several Middle Eastern countries, warning that the actions pose a serious risk to international aviation safety.

In a decision adopted on March 31, 2026, the council stated that Iran breached the sovereignty of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, including their respective airspaces. The council noted that these violations are contrary to Article 1 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention), which affirms the sovereignty of states over the airspace above their territories.

The aviation body also deplored Iran’s “illegal use of unmanned aircraft systems for military purposes against civilian infrastructure over the territories of the affected member states.”

Recalling the purposes and principles of the Chicago Convention, the council referenced United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817 as well as relevant ICAO Assembly resolutions, stating that such actions are inconsistent with the principles of the UN Charter.

The council further warned that unauthorised military incursions into airspace present a “serious and ongoing risk to the safety of civil aviation,” particularly as they disrupt normal civil flight operations across the region.