Iranian airline Varesh Airlines is set to resume its Mashhad–Dushanbe–Mashhad route starting July 4, following a temporary suspension of flights due to recent hostilities between Iran and Israel.

A representative of the airline’s Dushanbe office confirmed the decision to Asia-Plus, noting that only flights to Mashhad will be reinstated for now.  The timeline for resuming flights to Tehran remains uncertain.

Flight schedule and background

According to the airline, Mashhad flights will operate twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Fridays.

The suspension of flights occurred after Iran temporarily closed its airspace for security reasons amid military escalations with Israel.  On June 13, Israel launched airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, prompting retaliatory missile strikes from Iran the next day. The exchange of attacks continued for nearly two weeks, severely disrupting regional air travel.

Repatriation efforts during the suspension

During the disruption, Varesh Airlines organized a charter flight on June 28 from Dushanbe to Turkmenistan’s capital, Ashgabat, evacuating 103 Iranian citizens.  From Turkmenistan, they continued their journey overland to Iran.

Additional evacuations were coordinated through Turkmenistan, with authorities issuing Turkmen visas to stranded Iranian citizens in Tajikistan for overland return.  Among those affected was Iran’s youth national football team, which had been stuck in Dushanbe.

For Tajik citizens in Iran, a bus route was arranged to the Turkmen border, where—with assistance from Tajik embassies—they transferred to transportation bound for Tajikistan.

Tajikistan’s Ambassador to Iran, Nizomiddin Zohidi, reported earlier that around 30 citizens had already returned home, with nearly 100 more awaiting repatriation.

Broader evacuation operations

The Russian Embassy in Tehran previously stated that 313 people, including Tajik nationals, were evacuated from Iran on June 14 and 15 as part of Russia-led evacuation missions.

Meanwhile, Turkmenistan’s Foreign Ministry also confirmed the evacuation of 120 foreign nationals through the Iranian border amid the regional conflict.

Varesh Airlines  is an Iranian airline.  It initially concentrated its activities in Mazandaran province, then expanded into the Iranian domestic and international markets when it first served Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.  Its central hub is in Dasht-e Naz Airport, which is located  in Central District of Mazandaran Province.  Varesh Airlines started operations on October 8, 2018, connecting Tehran and Mashhad

In 2021, Varesh Airlines reportedly owned eight aircraft, including two Boeing 737-300s and four Boeing 737-500s.  As of April 2023, the airline fleet has consisted of seven Boeing 737-300s and three Boeing 737-500s.