On Wednesday, January 14, Iran decided to temporarily close its airspace to all aircraft, except for international flights that received prior permission. According to DW, this decision was published on the website of the Iranian Federal Aviation Administration.
Initially, the restrictions were planned for two hours, but later the deadline was extended to 07:30 the next day local time, according to information from the AP agency.
On January 14, one European official told Reuters that there was a possibility of a US attack on Iran within 24 hours. This statement followed a warning from US President Donald Trump about "strong actions" against Iran if the authorities began executing protesters.
Trump: There will be no executions of protesters in Iran
Trump also stated on January 14 that he had learned from reliable sources that executions of protesters in Iran were no longer planned. On the same day, Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, the head of Iran's judiciary, stated that judicial proceedings for 18,000 detainees needed to be expedited, and that some of them could receive death sentences.
In response, Iran's foreign minister stated in an interview with FOX News that "hanging people" is not planned in the country.
The US takes precautions at a military base in Qatar
Meanwhile, on January 14, the US recommended that some of its military and civilian personnel temporarily leave Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which is a key military base in the Middle East. This was reported by Reuters, AFP, and CNN, citing sources. One American official described this step as a precautionary measure.
About 10,000 military personnel and civilian workers are permanently stationed at the American base in Qatar, which serves as a command center for the US armed forces in the region.
