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Flights diverted, embassies closed: How mass Iran protests impacted rest of world
All over the world, governments issued warnings for their citizens not to travel to Iran
- PUBLISHED: Fri 16 Jan 2026, 2:58 PM
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As the country's biggest demonstrations since 2022 gripped Iran, anti-government protesters clashed with authorities, defying orders even as a nationwide internet blackout was imposed.
Meanwhile, pro-government forces condemned the "riots", with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei saying Iran "would not back down" in the face of "sabboteurs".
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The protests did not just impact the country; it sent a wave outside the nation too. For a people engulfed by a communications blackout, the world became their eyes and ears. People of different countries held protests in support of the Iranian people, and the US President Donald Trump threatened military action if Iranian authorities killed the protestors.
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Embassies closed
Amid the "deteriorating security situation", New Zealand closed its embassy in Iran on January 16 and flown out diplomats, with operations being moved to Turkey.
Days earlier, on January 14, the British embassy temporarily closed its doors, and said it would operate remotely. The ambassador and consular staff were all evacuated based on a security assessment, a British official said.
The same day, the Portuguese Embassy also announced that it would be closed "until further notice."
Flights diverted
A nearly 5-hour overnight closure of the Iranian airspace on January 14 led to flights being diverted or rescheduled. UAE's flydubai confirmed to Khaleej Times that the closure led some of its flights to be "cancelled, diverted, or rerouted.
The sudden move also led to an impact on Indian airlines such as IndiGo and Air India. The airspace was closed to all flights except international ones to and from Iran with official permission. This means that other international flights with non-Iran destination or arrival points, which had to fly through Iran's airspace, would face longer travel times due to the rerouting.
However, the impact was not large-scale as the airspace resumed soon after.
Travel advisories issued
All over the world, governments issued warnings for their citizens not to travel to Iran.
India urged its nationals to avoid travel to Iran, and asked all Indians currently in the Islamic Republic of Iran to avoid areas of protests or demonstrations.
The US told its citizens that they are at significant risk of questioning, arrest, and detention in Iran. "Showing a US passport or demonstrating connections to the United States can be reason enough for Iranian authorities to detain someone," according to the US' virtual embassy Iran website.
Portugal contacted all its citizens who reside in Iran, and said that as of January 14, eight already left the country, while 10 Portuguese citizens decided to remain in Iran, the Portuguese embassy said.
Portugal advised its nationals not to take any trips to Iran as it is a "significant risk".
Meanwhile, the UK warned its citizens that travelling to Iran against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) could lead to their travel insurance being invalidated.
Potential tariffs
On January 12, Trump said he would impose 25 per cent tariffs on any country that does business with Iran, "effective immediately."
"This order is final and conclusive," Trump said without providing any further detail.
There was no official documentation from the White House of the policy on its website, nor information about the legal authority Trump would use to impose the tariffs.
Iran's top trading partners include China, Iraq, and UAE. UAE's Minister of Foreign Trade, Thani Al Zeyoudi, said that it was unclear how Trump's latest announcement of tariffs would be implemented and whether it would affect the nation's food imports.
The UAE minister said that "there is no clarity" on the tariffs as of yet, but details continue to emerge. The UAE majorly exports aluminium and gold to the US, of which, a 50 per cent tariff is already applicable on aluminium. A further tariff could mean that prices could rise further an essential metal like aluminium.
Oil markets
As of the time of writing this report, oil prices rose slightly as supply risks remained in focus despite the receding likelihood of a US military strike against Iran.
Brent crude LCOc1 gained 50 cents, or 0.78 per cent, to $64.26 a barrel by 1000 GMT, on course for a fourth consecutive weekly gain. US West Texas Intermediate CLc1 rose 48 cents, or 0.81 per cent, to $59.67, Reuters reported.
"While (Iranian supply) risks have eased somewhat, they remain significant, keeping the market nervous in the short term," IG analysts said in a client note.
"Any escalation with Iran will also raise concerns about potential disruption to oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint where around 20 million barrels per day passes," they added.
Analysts expect higher supply this year, potentially creating a ceiling for the geopolitical risk premium on prices.
"Unless we see a genuine revival in Chinese demand or a meaningful bottleneck in physical barrel flows, oil looks range-bound, with Brent broadly hovering between $57 and $67," said Phillip Nova analyst Priyanka Sachdeva.
Poojaraj Maniyeri is a Digital Journalist who loves turning everyday conversations into news stories. She is also a typical bookworm, and brings a novel with her everywhere she goes.