Azernews.Az

Akbar Novruz

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The United States has conducted repeated reconnaissance flights around Iran over the past two days, marking the second time such aerial activity has been observed since nationwide protests began in late December 2025, according to data from the Flightradar24 platform, Azernews reports.

Flightradar24, a widely used flight‑tracking service that provides real‑time information on aircraft positions, altitude, and speed, showed multiple US reconnaissance aircraft operating near Iranian airspace. The latest flights follow an earlier round of US surveillance flights conducted shortly after the onset of Iran’s largest anti‑government protests in decades.

The renewed aerial operations come amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington over Iran’s domestic situation and broader regional security concerns. Iran’s internal unrest, sparked by a sharp economic downturn and the collapse of the rial, has evolved into mass demonstrations against the government, drawing international attention and diplomatic pressure.

The previous reconnaissance took place five days ago, on January 19.

The surveillance flights coincide with other signs of escalating military readiness. Iran temporarily closed its airspace for several hours last week amid rising tensions with the US, forcing commercial carriers to cancel or reroute flights before reopening the skies once again. Aviation authorities in the EU have also urged airlines to avoid Iranian airspace, citing safety concerns as the risk of misidentification remains elevated due to increased military activity in the region.

Such reconnaissance missions are generally interpreted by analysts as efforts to gather intelligence on military deployments, air defenses, and other strategic indicators. In past decades, the US has frequently employed aerial reconnaissance near Iran—sometimes leading to high‑profile incidents like the 2019 downing of a US surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz—reflecting long‑standing strategic rivalry.