IKIA will initially serve all air traffic between Tehran and the UAE, and will open to all other international flights later this year. However, the UK and Canada have said they are concerned about the safety of IKIA because of ancient irrigation channels running beneath the runway. Emirates, which already flies to the new airport, says it has no safety concerns. Iran has strongly protested the travel warnings issued by London and Ottawa and says International Civil Aviation Organisation officials have approved the structural soundness of the runway.

A new contract has not yet been awarded to operate the airport and develop phase 2, which will include a new terminal building. However, it is widely expected that IRGC will carry out both functions through its engineering and construction arm. The group was an unsuccessful bidder for the contract, ultimately won by TAV, when it was tendered three years ago.

When the airport was first opened in May 2004, the second inbound flight was forced to divert to Isfahan when IRGC scrambled two fighter planes. The corps said the airport must close because a foreign airport operator violated national security. TAV was then attacked in the Majlis (parliament) by hardliner deputies who focused on Turkey's relations with Israel.