Tehran, Iran, January 23
By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:
Big international aviation companies are going to attend the Iran Aviation Summit 2016, which will be held January 24-25.
During the summit, it is on agenda for Iran to renovate its civil aviation in cooperation with big international companies, summit Secretary Ahmadreza Bayat said, Fars news agency reported January 23.
He added that 160 foreign representatives from 35 countries as well as 85 world aviation companies and related organizations are invited to attend.
The official noted that because Iran's revenues have shrunken due to a huge plunge in oil prices, it is on Iran's agenda for the time being to rent airplanes rather than buy them.
Bayat predicted that Iran won't be able to buy airplanes for at least two years.
He further said during the summit a workshop will be held to discuss foreign airliners' use of the Iranian airspace.
Iranian officials have said that the country needs about 600 planes within the next 10 years. The period of sanctions has crippled Iran's ageing air fleet so that the country couldn't purchase new planes, plane parts or services for them.
Analysts say Iran's air fleet will grow, however in the near term the country will have to settle for the lease of planes.