TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 3. In light of the ongoing situation in the Middle East, Uzbekistan has temporarily halted all flight operations from its airports to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iran, Kuwait, and Israel, Trend reports via Uzbekistan Airports.
According to information, all resident and non-resident airlines have halted operations on these routes until further notice.
At present, resident and non-resident carriers are operating special flights to return passengers to Uzbekistan who departed before February 28, 2026. Passengers are advised to contact airlines directly through their official websites and hotlines for updated information.
Following the second round of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran on February 17, which ended without progress, the U.S. increased its presence in areas near Iran, deploying over 150 aircraft to bases in Europe and the Middle East.
The escalation follows the 3rd round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva on February 26. Held under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the negotiations were viewed as the final chance to strike a deal diplomatically. However, no agreements were reached, as Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. Israel launched its airstrikes shortly afterward, with the country's Defense Minister Katz emphasizing that the operations were preemptive.
In a significant escalation, military airstrikes conducted by Israel and the United States the previous day have reportedly resulted in the deaths of Iran’s Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several members of his family.
Additionally, several of Iran’s most senior military and security officials were killed in the airstrikes, including Chief of Staff Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, Supreme Leader adviser and Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh.