Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 30
By Fatih Karimov- Trend:
Iran will receive eight passenger planes from Airbus during the current year, Abbas Akhoundi, Iran's Roads and Urban Development minister said.
Under the terms of the contract, which was signed with Airbus during the President Hassan Rouhani's visit to France, the company will also deliver 110 planes to Iran by 2024, Akhoundi said, Iran's IRINN TV reported Jan. 30.
The deal worth approximately €23 billion ($25 billion) was signed by Akhoundi and his French counterpart on the sidelines of a meeting between Rouhani and French President Francois Hollande in Elysee Palace, Paris on Jan. 28.
Akhoundi further said that the purchased planes will join Iran Air fleet, Iran's flag carrier.
He added that the Islamic Republic is due to receive four moulds of aircrafts from Airbus including 45 A320, 45 A330 and 16 A350 as well as 12 A380 aircrafts.
The US-led sanctions on aircraft and spare parts exports to Iran have left the Iranian airlines saddled with not only some of the oldest fleet in the Middle East, but in the world.
It is estimated that airlines in Iran have a total of 150 aircraft, which are up to 20 years old.
Back in April 2015, the head of Iran Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) said the country needs to buy up to 500 passenger planes in the next 10 years to renovate its ageing fleet.
The analysts say Iran's air fleet will grow, however in the near term the country will have to settle for the lease of planes.