TEHRAN - Head of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization (CAO) Mohammad Mohammadi-Bakhsh said the country has imported 10 passenger airplanes with an average age between 15-20 years over the past three months, Tasnim news agency reported.

Speaking in a press conference on Wednesday, Mohammadi-Bakhsh announced that the CAO is negotiating with European companies to supply the equipment and parts needed by the country’s airlines.

“Our negotiations for the supply of airplane parts are being pursued simultaneously with the negotiations for the revival of the nuclear deal,” the CAO head said.

The official noted that his company has a specific plan and strategy to solve the problems of the aviation industry in recent years, saying: “For the past 42 years, despite the country's toughest sanctions, the aviation industry has survived.”

"Despite the sanctions of the last four decades, we have provided the most services and have met the needs of airlines in repairing and supplying parts using domestic capacities," he added.

He further stated that currently, seven ATR airplanes are active in Iran Air, which means six of the airline’s ATR fleet are going through overhaul operations.

“Normally about 25 percent of an airline’s airplanes should go through maintenance in each overhaul period,” he added.

Having the oldest airline in West Asia and second oldest in Asia, Iran started developing its aviation industry nearly 80 years ago and this industry is still improving in the country.

Developing this industry would have major positive outcomes for the country’s economy; in addition to creating new job opportunities for thousands of people; it will increase the air traffic while creating a capillary network across the country which would impact all other economic areas like industry, agriculture, tourism, trade and etc.

The Iranian Atmospheric Science and Meteorological Research Center was established in 1989 with the aim of meeting the scientific needs of the country in the related areas.

EF/MA