Qom International Airport (under contstruction)

Qom, IR 🇮🇷 Closed Airport

ICAO

IR-0178

IATA

-

Elevation

3690 ft

Region

IR-25

Local Time

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Airport Information

GPS Code: Not available

Local Code: Not available

Location: 34.58114° N, 50.657481° E

Continent: AS

Type: Closed Airport

Keywords: OIIQ

Terminal Information Not Available
Terminal arrivals and departures are only available for airports with scheduled commercial service and IATA codes.
Nearby Points of Interest

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Airport Information

Airport Closure Information

Last updated: Jul 25, 2025
Closure Date

The airport was never officially opened. Construction was halted indefinitely around 2016-2017.

Reason for Closure

The project was stopped mid-construction due to a major corruption scandal involving the private developer, the 'Aram Company'. The primary issues cited by Iranian judicial authorities included massive-scale land grabbing (appropriating thousands of hectares of land beyond the project's approved scope), financial irregularities, and unresolved legal disputes between the investor and the government's Ministry of Roads and Urban Development. The head of the investment company was arrested, and the project's assets were frozen, leading to a complete cessation of all work.

Current Status

The site is an abandoned construction zone. Satellite imagery confirms the presence of a fully paved, full-length runway (approximately 4,200 meters) which is now showing signs of decay and is marked with large 'X's to indicate it is unusable. The main terminal building, control tower, and other auxiliary structures stand as unfinished concrete and steel skeletons. The entire area is derelict, non-functional, and inaccessible to the public.

Historical Significance

The airport was never active and handled no operations. Its significance is rooted in its ambitious conception and controversial failure. The project was launched around 2011 as a private 'Build-Operate-Transfer' (BOT) initiative, a rarity for such large-scale infrastructure in Iran. It was intended to become a major international gateway for the millions of religious pilgrims who visit the holy city of Qom annually, which is a major center for Shia Islam. Instead of achieving this goal, the project became a high-profile national symbol of administrative corruption and failed private-sector investment, often cited in discussions about economic mismanagement in the country.

Reopening Prospects

The prospects for reopening or completing the airport are highly uncertain and have been for years. Various Iranian officials have periodically announced plans to resolve the legal issues, transfer the project to government ownership (specifically the Iran Airports Company), and find the necessary funding to complete construction. However, these announcements have not yet translated into concrete action. The complex legal entanglements from the corruption case and the immense cost required to complete and modernize the decaying structures remain significant obstacles. As of early 2024, there is no firm timeline or active plan for resuming construction.

Nearby Airports

Imam Reza Hospital Heliport
IR-0099
Qom, IR
Heliport
~13 km away
Shahid Beheshti Hospital Heliport
IR-0098
Qom, IR
Heliport
~23 km away
Jafarabad Agricultural Airport
IR-0106
Qom, IR
Small Airport
~24 km away
Qomrud
IR-0170
Qom, IR
Small Airport
~31 km away
Kushke Nosrat Airport
OIIC
Qāshqābolāq, IR
Small Airport
~47 km away
Kushke Nosrat 1 Airport
IR-0186
Qāshqābolāq, IR
Small Airport
~52 km away
Distances are approximate and calculated as straight-line distances.

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