ICAO Council condemns Iran over airspace violations impacting aviation safety

 

MONTREAL – The Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization adopted a decision on 31 March 2026 condemning the violation by the Islamic Republic of Iran of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, including their sovereign airspaces, in breach of Article 1 of the 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention).

The Council deplored the 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 stated that such actions are inconsistent with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

The Council emphasized the serious and ongoing risks to the safety of civil aviation resulting from unauthorized military incursions into airspace and the disruption of civil air operations in the region. It underlined the importance of maintaining the safety and security of international civil aviation.

The Council called on Iran to cease its unlawful activities and to comply with its obligations under the Chicago Convention and other relevant international civil aviation treaties.

Tags: ICAO