ICAO Council condemns Iran for unlawful airspace violations affecting civil aviation safety

ICAO Council condemns Iran for unlawful airspace violations affecting civil aviation safety

Montréal, 06 April 2026 - Through its decision adopted on 31 March 2026, the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) condemned the Islamic Republic of Iran for violations of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, including their sovereign airspaces, contrary to Article 1 of the 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention).

The Council 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, United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026), as well as relevant resolutions of the ICAO Assembly, the Council highlighted that such actions are inconsistent with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

Emphasizing the serious and ongoing risk to the safety of civil aviation arising from unauthorized military incursions into the airspace and the resulting disruption of civil air operations in the region, the Council underscored the paramount importance of preserving the safety and security of international civil aviation.

The Council urgently called upon Iran to cease its unlawful activities and respect its obligations under the Chicago Convention and other relevant international civil aviation treaties.

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Leading international civil aviation as a crucial driver of social and economic development, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is accelerating progress towards zero fatalities and net-zero carbon emissions in air transport for everyone, everywhere, in line with its Long-Term Strategic Plan for 2050. ICAO works with its 193 Member States and all air transport stakeholders to develop standards and policies for international civil aviation, and undertakes planning and capacity building activities to support their implementation by Member States.

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