TEHRAN (Iran News) – The head of the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran said the country is going to get new passenger planes in the not too distant future.
Speaking to reporters at Payam Airport in the northern province of Alborz on Tuesday, Ali Abedzadeh said a number of planes are going to join the Iranian fleet in the near future, Tasnim News Agency reported.
He said the new aircraft will be used for domestic flights.
Arrangements have been made to operate flights between Karaj in Alborz Province and the cities of Mashhad (northeastern Iran), Ahvaz (southwestern Iran), and Kish Island in the Persian Gulf, Abedzadeh added.
He also unveiled plans for the gradual removal of restrictions on international flights.
Foreign airlines are currently waiting for the signing of health and hygiene protocols as well as the conclusion of agreements among countries to be able to carry passengers while implementing protective measures, he added.
Iran purchased and received a total of 16 passenger planes after the going into effect of the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) – also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action signed between Tehran and the P5+1, in June 2016, including three from Airbus and 13 from Franco-Italian turboprop maker ATR.
The US decision to withdraw from the JCPOA and reimpose sanctions on Iran resulted in the collapse of about $38 billion in plane purchase deals between Tehran and Western firms, with Airbus suffering greater losses compared to its US rival Boeing.
During a January 2016 visit to Paris by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Tehran signed a major contract with Airbus worth about $27 billion to buy 118 planes.
Later in June that year, Iran sealed another deal worth around $25 billion with the US aerospace heavyweight, Boeing, for the purchase of 100 passenger planes.
- source : Iran Daily, Irannews
