Iran offering aircraft maintenance services to Venezuela: Aviation chief
Iran has been offering aircraft maintenance services to airlines from various countries, including sanction-hit Venezuela, according to the head of the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization.
Abouzar Shiroodi, who was appointed as Iran’s aviation chief just last week, said in his first briefing with reporters on Monday that Iran would continue to rely on domestic companies for the bulk of its civil aviation needs, including major overhauls of large aircraft grounded due to US sanctions.
“We provide maintenance and repair services to aircraft from some neighboring countries, and the repair of Venezuelan aircraft is also carried out in Iran,” Shiroodi said.
The young pilot, who previously led Iran’s Aseman Airlines, a carrier under US and European sanctions, said Iran currently has a total of 150 active aircraft.
He added that the return of several previously grounded planes to the fleets of Iranian airlines in recent months had increased the country’s active air passenger capacity by about 200 seats.
Iran’s national carrier, IranAir, announced in early December that it had repaired three aircraft, an Airbus A310, a Fokker F100, and a Boeing 747 freighter, that had been grounded due to sanctions.
The airline’s CEO, Taher Abdol Hay, said on Monday that IranAir has 20 active aircraft but relies on just eight planes for the bulk of its flight operations.
Abdol Hay also said that two aircraft purchased by IranAir have been seized in another country, without providing further details.
Aviation experts say US and European sanctions have pushed Iran to expand its domestic aircraft repair and overhaul capabilities, enabling local firms to offer inspection and refurbishment services to foreign customers.
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