Posts suspend services to the Middle East

National postal operators across Europe, Asia and Oceania have suspended deliveries, returned parcels to senders and warned of mounting international delays after airspace closures linked to the US–Israel–Iran conflict disrupted global mail routes.

As previously reported by CEP-Research, the express and freight sectors have also been heavily impacted by the sudden shutdown of key Gulf corridors. For posts, whose international dispatches depend heavily on flights and transit hubs in the Middle East, the operational impact has been immediate.

CEP-Research has approached the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and the International Post Corporation (IPC) for comment on the broader consequences for international mail exchanges, but neither organisation had responded at the time of publication.

European posts halt deliveries

Several European posts have already implemented suspensions covering a wide range of Middle Eastern destinations.

Poczta Polska announced that from 2 March it had suspended acceptance of postal items addressed to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman and the UAE, citing instability in the region and transport difficulties.

Lithuanian Post has taken similar action, temporarily halting the dispatch of all letters, postcards and parcels to multiple Middle Eastern countries. The operator said air delivery has become impossible following military operations and the cancellation of flights by logistics partners. Parcels accepted but not yet dispatched will be returned to senders, who may apply for postage refunds, while items already in transit will be delivered as soon as conditions allow, albeit with potential delays.

In Central Europe, Slovenská pošta warned of possible delays for shipments routed via Doha, particularly those reliant on Qatar Airways connections. Because Doha functions as a key transit hub, disruptions may also affect mail flows to destinations beyond the Middle East, including North America and Asia.

Meanwhile, Hrvatska pošta in Croatia reported difficulties and intermittent interruptions in traffic to Israel, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Iran. Pošta Slovenije temporarily suspended all types of shipments to Iran, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, stating that services will resume once conditions stabilise.

Estonia’s Omniva also moved to suspend acceptance of shipments to the region on 3 March, halting deliveries to the UAE, Bahrain, Israel, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The restriction covers both commercial parcels and postal items. “Unfortunately, we are seeing air transport to the region being suspended due to the threat of military activity in the airspace,” said Sven Kukemelk, Chief Commercial Officer of Omniva. “Many flights have already been cancelled or are in the process of being cancelled, and Omniva is currently unable to guarantee delivery of shipments.”

Shipments already accepted but not yet dispatched will be stored until they can be sent, while those already in transit will be delivered at the earliest opportunity.

Asia-Pacific operators reroute