Iran keen on upgrading its airports
By Amina Nazarli
Iran, which is determined to modernize its aviation industry, has signed a multilateral memorandum of understanding with German companies on the projects on development of its airports.
Iran's Airports Company (IAC) signed a MoU with the airports in Munich, Frankfurt and Dornier Consulting International GmbH, which is a consulting and project management company that operates in the field of aviation, among other sectors.
The memorandum covers airport operations management, airport development, navigation infrastructures and consultation regarding commercialization of the airports.
“This MoU gives us the opportunity to use German companies’ experience to modernize Iranian airports, equipment and facilities; train human resources and finance airport infrastructure development projects,” said CEO of the Iranian company, Rahmatollah Mahabadi.
Mahabadi added that Germany will finance construction of the Tabriz Airport terminal, as well as assist in the implementation of funding mechanisms for new airports in Chabahar and Ahvaz.
Iran also plans to overhaul equipment of airports to improve safety, he added.
Since sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic were lifted last year, Iran began to take steps to upgrade its air industry, revamp an aging airline fleet, equipment and airports.
The country also holds negotiating with the French and Italian
companies in this regard.
Earlier in April 2016, Iran inked a MoU with Italy’s SEA Group for
the construction of a new passenger terminal in Tehran’s Mehrabad
International Airport, estimated to require €250 million in
investment.
Meanwhile, Iran’s first brand-new A321 Airbus aircraft landed in
Tehran after 38 years of international embargo this month. This is
the first brand-new airliner Iran has received since the 1979
revolution, thanks to the landmark nuclear deal signed in 2015.
The contract was signed last year when President Hassan Rouhani
visited France, only a few days after the nuclear deal officially
called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was put into
force, ending decades’ long economic sanctions on Iran. Iran has
put orders for 100 aircraft with Airbus.
Iran made a similar deal with the American Boeing, but the
prospect of it is overshadowed by the election of Donald Trump as
the next US president, as he has strongly opposed the nuclear deal
and Iran’s economic freedom.
Under sanctions, Iran’s aviation industry has become aged and
remains
underdeveloped. The country plans to buy about 500 new aircraft in
the near future.
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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on
Twitter: @amina_nazarli
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