Two Iranian flights from Tehran and Mashhad to neighboring countries made emergency landings due to "technical issues," local media reports.

Tasnim News Agency reported that an Airbus flight operated by Qeshm Air, scheduled from Tehran to Istanbul on Saturday, was redirected back to the capital's international airport due to technical complications.

The Chief of Public Relations at Qeshm Air affirmed that the affected flight was re-schduled using a "backup aircraft" and assured Tasnim that "all passengers are safe and sound."

Tasnim, which is affiliated to the Revolutionary Guards, also disclosed that a Sepehran Airlines flight from Mashhad to Najaf, Iraq executed an emergency landing at the Hashemi Nejad Airport on Saturday.

Decades-long sanctions have inhibited Iran's ability to procure passenger aircraft and related equipment from international markets, leading to an aging national aviation fleet. Mohammad Mohammadi-Bakhsh, the Head of the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization, earlier revealed that among Iran's 330 registered planes, 139 are currently grounded. Some of these aircraft have been deemed unsuitable for return to service, raising concerns about accurately assessing the magnitude of the aviation crisis facing the country.

Iran's civilian airlines have grappled with shortages since the 1990s, often resorting to leasing older planes or acquiring spare parts through intermediaries. Over time, the technical condition of their fleet has deteriorated, culminating in the present situation that has now reached a critical juncture.