TEHRAN- Iranian flag carrier Iran Air has finalized a deal on the purchase of aircrafts from turboprop manufacturer ATR, Iran’s transport minister Abbas Akhoundi announced on Wednesday.

“Negotiations for the purchase of ATR aircrafts have been finalized and the two sides will exchange documents very soon,” Mehr news agency quoted Akhoundi as saying.

Representatives of the ATR traveled to Iran about 10 days ago to negotiate terms of a deal for the sale of at least 20 aircrafts.

That became possible after an agreement between Iran and six major powers lifted most international sanctions imposed on Tehran, in exchange for Iran curbing its nuclear program.

On February 4, the deputy transport minister Asghar Fakhrieh Kashan said the value of the deal is estimated to be about $400 million and Iran is expected to receive four ATR planes by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2017).

Akhoundi announced in mid-January that renovation of Iran Air fleet has begun, adding that according to the contracts with world major plane makers, Iran Air is to receive 200 new planes, of which 100 will be purchased from Airbus and 80 from Boeing.

HJ/MA/MG