Iran plans construction of 7 int'l airports
By Sara Rajabova
Iran’s senior official has said the country plans to build seven international airports around the capital city Tehran.
Abbas Akhoundi, the Iranian minister of roads and urban development said all airports are projected to be built as early as 2025, Fars news agency reported.
He added that the airports will be able to receive up to 400 aircrafts.
Akhundi said, currently, Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport receives and sends six million passengers, adding that another airport terminal with a capacity of 5 million passengers will be opened next year.
Iran has recently increased efforts to boost its aviation sector. The country has been long attempting to renovate its aging aviation fleet.
Iranian media earlier quoted Akhundi as saying that Iran plans to buy 500 new passenger planes, noting negotiations with top world companies are underway for ordering the new airplanes.
World’s aviation giants, such as Boeing, Airbus expressed willingness to resume the cooperation with the Islamic Republic following the removal of sanctions. The sanctions are expected to be removed in 2016.
Iran earlier added nine new planes less than 10 years old to its air fleet.
Iranian officials repeatedly announced that the county will need 400-500 civilian aircraft worth at least $20 billion in the next decade to renovate its aging fleet which has suffered under years of U.S. and European sanctions.
The U.S.-led sanctions on aircraft and spare parts exports to Iran have left Iranian airlines saddled with not only some of the oldest fleets in the Middle East, but also in the world.
Iran's four largest carriers – Iran Air, Aseman Airlines, Mahan Air and Iran Air Tours – all have average fleet ages above 22 years, according to Iranian media outlets.
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Sara Rajabova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on
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