Flydubai airline cancels flights to Iran

Dubai's flydubai airline cancelled flights to Iran on Friday after receiving an official alert, a statement said.

"In line with the issued NOTAM (notice to air missions), our flights to Iran today have been cancelled," said the statement sent to AFP.

One flight which had already departed for Tehran returned to Dubai after the Iranian capital's airport was closed, it added.

Flights were suspended across swathes of Iran as Iranian state media reported explosions in the central province of Isfahan.

Flight-tracking software showed commercial flights avoiding western Iran, including Isfahan, and skirting Tehran to the north and east.

There was no immediate comment from Dubai's state-owned Emirates airline, flydubai's sister carrier, which was operating several of the planes.

Emirates and flydubai have experienced serious disruption this week after record rainfall caused more than 1,000 flight cancellations at Dubai airport, one of the world's busiest air hubs.