Despite no-fly order, passenger planes seen departing Tehran’s Mehrabad airport

Despite an official no-fly order issued amid heightened military tensions, passenger aircraft were seen taking off from Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport on Saturday, according to videos sent to Iran International.

Eyewitnesses said several planes were observed departing eastward, although Iranian authorities had earlier announced the closure of national airspace following the Israeli airstrikes.

Flight tracking websites including Flightradar24 showed limited visibility of the planes’ routes or destinations.

The continued departures have sparked speculation about the nature of the flights, with some observers suggesting they may be transporting government or military officials, or rerouting to undisclosed locations for safety.

Time-lapse images shared by Flightradar24 tracking website on Saturday showed aircraft taking off and heading toward unknown destinations. No flight paths or destinations were visible on tracking systems.

Social media users suggested the flights may have carried senior government or military officials to undisclosed locations for security reasons. There are others saying that the aircraft may have been rerouted to safe zones within Iran or the wider region to avoid potential strikes.