Tehran, Iran, July 23
By A. Shirazi - Trend:
Iran's Deputy Transport Minister Asghar Fakhrieh Kashan said the country’s Ministry of Roads and Urban Development has no plans to hold talks with Russia's Sukhoi Civil Aircraft over the purchase of passenger planes.
“Other airlines have a free choice deciding on the purchase of Sukhoi planes with Russian or western engines, but the ministry of roads has no plans to enter talks with Sukhoi,” Fakhrieh Kashan told ILNA news agency on July 23.
He added the government has no plans to upgrade its aging aviation fleet with Sukhoi aircraft.
The deputy minister also rejected reports that Iran plans to export oil to Russia and receive passenger planes in return.
Russia’s Energy Minister Alexander Novak said in April 2017 that there was a “concrete” agreement with Iran for purchasing 12 SSJ100s.
However, the aviation giant in July rejected reports that it signed an agreement on deliveries of a dozen of its advanced twin-engine regional jets.
In February 2016, Russia's United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) Vice-President Vladislav Masalov said the delivery of SSJ100 planes to Iran could only be made after the approval of US component manufacturers.