Andimeshk-Karkhe Dam Highway Strip

De-escalation of military conflict. The strip was a military contingency asset built for use during the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988). With the end of the war, the immediate strategic need for an emergency highway airstrip diminished, and it reverted to its primary function as a public road without being maintained for aviation readiness.

The site is currently a fully operational public road. It functions as a long, straight, and wide section of the Andimeshk-Dehloran highway (Road 37), which runs along the Karkhe River. It is used daily by regular civilian and commercial vehicle traffic. Satellite imagery confirms that there are no remaining aviation markings (such as runway numbers or threshold markings), and no airport-related infrastructure exists at the site.

The Andimeshk-Karkhe Dam Highway Strip was a strategic military asset for the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) during the Iran-Iraq War. Andimeshk was a vital logistical hub and was in close proximity to the front lines. The strip was designed as an emergency landing and dispersal location for military aircraft, likely including fighter jets (such as the F-4 Phantom II and F-5 Tiger II) and transport aircraft operating from the nearby Vahdati Air Base (OIAW). Its purpose was to ensure the IRIAF could continue flight operations even if its main airbases were damaged or under direct attack. It was never intended for or used by civilian or commercial traffic.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the strip for aviation purposes. The region's civil aviation needs are served by the nearby Dezful Airport (IATA: DEF, ICAO: OIAD). From a military perspective, while the strip could theoretically be repurposed in a national emergency, there have been no official reports or indications of plans to reactivate or maintain it for aviation use. It is considered a decommissioned military asset that has been fully integrated into the public road network.