Mohammad Mohammadi-Bakhsh told IRNA on Friday that the Islamic Republic had purchased new planes and shipped them into the country over the year to late March.
Mohammadi-Bakhsh said the import of new planes caused the average lifespan of the Iranian fleet to drop to below 26 years despite claims that second-hand airplanes are above 40 years of age.
The official had said earlier this week that Iran’s aviation industry, which remains under US sanctions, needs some 550 passenger planes to function properly, adding that the country purchased and took delivery of some 50 used aircraft and helicopters over the past 18 months.
Following the nuclear deal of 2015, Iran placed orders for purchases of 200 brand-new passenger planes from Western suppliers, including Airbus and Boeing. The contracts, however, were suspended in 2018 after the United States withdrew from the accord and unilaterally restored sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
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