Tasnim) � Iran's Minister of Road and Urban Development Abbas Akhondi announced that although flights have resumed in Tehran�s airports after heavy snow caused flight cancellations, the return of the airports to normal conditions would take two or three days.


Speaking to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) on Monday night, Akhondi pointed to flight conditions at Imam Khomeini International and Mehrabad airports and said prior to the heavy snow, about 430 flights were operated in Mehrabad Airport and 220 in the Imam Khomeini International Airport on a daily basis.

Since Monday, 80 flights have been operated in Mehrabad and 20 in the Imam Khomeini International, he said.

The minister went on to say that although flights have resumed in the airports, returning to normal conditions would take two or three days.

The runways of Tehran�s Imam Khomeini International Airport were dug out from under 70 centimeters (more than two feet) of snow, letting flights resume on Sunday morning.

After sweeping Iran�s west and north, a winter air mass lashed capital Tehran on Saturday night, grounding flights, shuttering schools, blocking highways, and above all surprising people to see heavy snowfall after ten years.

The snowstorm that blanketed much of Iran�s western and northern parts also caused power outages and rising gas consumption in some areas.

The snowfall has in the meantime raised hopes for better water reserves, as low precipitation had caused concerns about drought and a harsh summer in Iran.