Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov. 22 /Trend/
The Theodor Heuss, once an official Germany's government jet and used to ferry several different chancellors on trips abroad, now belongs to Mahan Air (Iran) despite German support for greater sanctions against Tehran, the Spiegel reported on Tuesday.
The Dubbed Theodor Heuss after the first West German president, the jet is outfitted with posh details that include a sleeping cabin, shower and comfortable leather sofas.
Berlin has recently called for tighter sanctions against Iran following the International Atomic Energy Agency's recent report indicating its concern that Tehran is working towards the creation of an atomic weapon.
So far, Iran's refusal to abandon its nuclear activities has resulted in resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council in 2010, as well as additional unilateral sanctions approved by the U.S. Congress and the foreign ministers of all EU countries, which were primarily directed against the economic sector of Iran, including purchase of airplanes.
Before the Islamic revolution, Iran's commercial air fleet consisted of Boeing made in the U.S. and French Airbus, while Iran Air was considered the second for security level of air carrier in the world.
After the appearance of a diplomatic crisis between Iran and the U.S. in November 1979, Washington imposed embargo on selling to Iran the new U.S. aircrafts and spare parts. The ban forbidden sell to Iran the aircraft, with at least 10 percent of U.S. production.
Imposed embargo led to a significant decay of the Iranian commercial aircraft fleet, because of the lack of spare parts, they are not maintained properly. Iran is forced to buy second-hand American aircrafts from other countries, as well as aircraft Tupolev from Russia.
In early October, Iran announced that the country may partially build the Antonov-158 plane jointly with Ukraine.
After purchasing the production license for the Antonov-140 from Ukraine in 2000, Iran built its first Iran-140 passenger plane in 2003.
Edited by T.Konyayeva.