Iran airline eyes fleet growth
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Iran Air will need at least 100 passenger jets once sanctions against the country are lifted and will find it easier to do business with companies that cooperated during the current window for sanctions relief, said head of the airline.
“However, in the absence of a long-term deal easing the country’s economic isolation, Iran’s flag carrier will turn instead to Russia and China as alternative suppliers,” Farhad Parvaresh, chairman and managing director of Iran Air, said.
The comments, in a rare interview with foreign media on the sidelines of an airline conference this week, come as Iran and six nations prepare to resume negotiations on a final deal aimed at ending a decade-old dispute over Tehran’s nuclear program, Reuters reported.
A preliminary deal was signed in Geneva in November, under which Iran agreed to halt sensitive nuclear activities in exchange for the partial easing of sanctions. The accord, which took effect on Jan. 20, was designed to buy time for a final deal within six months and allows for the sale of aircraft parts.
Asked if it would be easier to do business in future with companies that had cooperated under the temporary Geneva deal, Parvaresh replied in the affirmative. “To my understanding, if sanctions are lifted in aviation, we would need at least 100 aircraft right away, both wide body and narrow body.”
US companies Boeing Co and General Electric Co have said they are seeking to export parts to Iran under the agreement for sanctions relief, which expires on July 20.
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