EASA urges airlines to avoid Iranian airspace

PARIS (Reuters) - European airlines should avoid Iranian airspace until further notice, the EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) said on Saturday following Iran's admission that its armed forces inadvertently shot down a Ukrainian airliner earlier in the week.

The advice expands on an earlier EASA recommendation that national authorities bar airlines from overflying Iran below 25,000 feet. It was issued "in light of the statement from Iran that its armed forces accidentally shot down a Ukrainian passenger aircraft", EASA said.