Turkish Airlines has cancelled five of its scheduled Friday flights to the Iranian capital Tehran, according to information published on the Istanbul Airport mobile application. The cancellations come as Iran faces widespread protests over the rising cost of living and deepening economic pressure.

The airport app also shows that five additional flights operated by Iranian carriers have been cancelled, while seven other services to Tehran remain scheduled as of Friday morning.

There has been no official comment so far from Turkish authorities or from Turkish Airlines regarding the decision.

Iran has been struggling with a prolonged economic crisis driven by years of international sanctions and the aftermath of the June conflict with Israel, factors that have further strained household incomes and public finances.

Flight disruptions have extended beyond Tehran. According to FlightRadar, a Turkish Airlines aircraft en route to Shiraz and a flight operated by Pegasus Airlines bound for Mashhad both turned back after entering Iranian airspace on Thursday night.

Türkiye shares a land border of around 500 kilometres, or roughly 300 miles, with Iran. There are currently three active land crossings between the two countries, which remain open despite the growing tensions and disruptions to air travel.