Austria Closes Airspace to U.S. Aircraft Involved in Operation Against Iran

Austria has denied access to its airspace for U.S. aircraft participating in a military operation against Iran.

According to Politico, the country’s Ministry of Defence confirmed that it received requests to use Austrian airspace but rejected them immediately.

Under Austrian law, all foreign military aircraft must apply in advance for permission and specify the purpose of their flight before entering the country’s airspace.

Requests related to active combat operations are rejected, while transit or training missions may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

“The question is why submit a request to a neutral state in the first place?” said Colonel Michael Bauer, spokesperson for Austria’s Ministry of Defence, commenting on the situation.

Austria has held the status of a ‘permanently neutral’ state since 1955, when, after adopting the relevant constitutional law, it secured the end of postwar occupation by the Soviet Union.

The document stipulates a commitment not to join military alliances and a prohibition on hosting foreign military bases on the country’s territory.

The coalition government of center-right Chancellor Christian Stocker has received positive feedback for its decision to close the airspace to U.S. military aircraft.

Sven Hergovich, head of the center-left Social Democratic Party in the federal state of Lower Austria, called on the national leadership to maintain this position, emphasizing that the war “harms Austria’s economic interests, Europe as a whole, and global peace.”

On March 30, it was reported that Spain had closed its airspace to U.S. aircraft involved in the operation against Iran. The restrictions apply to both combat aircraft and refueling planes involved in the strikes.

Madrid rejected all flight plans related to the operation in Iran. As a result, U.S. aircraft can no longer use the Spanish bases in Rota and Morón de la Frontera for refueling or as transit points.

Exceptions are provided only for emergency situations. Meanwhile, the bases continue to operate normally to provide logistical support for the U.S. contingent in Europe in accordance with current bilateral agreements.