Figures released by the Iran Airports Company show that the number of passenger and cargo flights passing over the Iran airspace has grown in the fifth month of the current Iranian year (July 22-August 21) and increased to 8,431 flights, reported Fars News Agency.

The number of passing flights in the fourth month on the Iranian year (June 21-July 21) stood at 7,295.

Foreign states have resumed their flights via Iran’s airspace after a halt due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.

The first Tehran-Madrid direct, weekly flight, was launched on September 2 by Iran Air.

Flights between Iran and Spain were suspended due to the border closure after the coronavirus outbreak. However, no direct flights had been operated between Tehran and Madrid for 17 years.

The direct, weekly flights have been resumed following a series of actions taken by the Embassy of Iran through coordination with the Civil Aviation Organization, Iran Air and Spain’s aviation authorities.

Iran’s Ambassador in Madrid Hassan Qashqavi commented on the resumption of the Tehran-Madrid flights, saying, “Fortunately, a direct and weekly flight between Tehran and Madrid is being conducted for the first time by the Islamic Republic of Iran Airline.”

He further expressed hope that “this important step in bilateral relations would strengthen ties between the two nations and develop tourism and would also help promote mutual trade cooperation.”

The license for the weekly Tehran-Madrid flight was issued by the Spanish aviation authorities on August 11, according to a statement by the Iranian Embassy in Madrid.

Nasser Aqaei, the director of the Iran Airports and Air Navigation Company, said the discounts would go to the top eight airlines providing transit income as well as airlines boosting their flights by 20 percent, Reuters reported.

However, no general cut in fees are planned, he said.

Iran is one of many countries to charge so-called overflight fees, which are generally used to fund services such as air traffic control, weather data, and aeronautical information.

The planned discounts still have to be approved by the government, Aqaei said.

Iranian civil aviation authorities have said that flight routes to major destinations in the Middle East and in Asia would resume in the near future by other Iranian airlines.

Iran Air suspended all European flights in mid-March after tight restrictions were imposed on arrivals in major Western European countries because of the growing number of cases testing positive for the COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.