Baku, Azerbaijan, June 30
By Khalid Kazimov – Trend:
International airlines annually earn up to $4 billion from selling tickets to Iranians, said Iran’s Transport Minister Abbas Akhoundi, IRNA news agency reported June 30.
Akhoundi explained this with the shortcomings in the Islamic Republic’s aviation.
Criticizing the country’s aged aviation fleet, he called for renewing aircraft in Iran.
Iran has earlier announced its need for about 400 passenger planes in the next decade to modernize its ageing fleet.
Iran signed a major deal worth $27 billion with Airbus in January to purchase 118 planes from the company. The deal with Airbus was sealed during a state visit to Paris by Iran's President Hassan Rouhani.
Meanwhile, Iranian airlines have held talks with Boeing over aircraft and aircraft parts purchase.