Safety body urges EU airlines to avoid Iran airspace until March 31

Feb 12 - The European Union's aviation safety regulator on Thursday recommended the bloc's airlines stay out of Iran's airspace until March 31, saying it was extending an earlier warning.

"The presence and possible use of a wide range of weapons and air-defence systems, combined with unpredictable state responses ... creates a high risk to civil flights operating at all altitudes and flight levels," the European Union Aviation Safety Agency said in a bulletin.

World powers and regional states fear a breakdown in negotiations between Iran and the United States could ignite a conflict that could spill over to the rest of the oil-producing region.

Iran has vowed a harsh response to any strike and has cautioned neighbouring Gulf Arab countries that host U.S. bases that they could be in the firing line if they were involved in an attack.