BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 9. The U.S. sanctions on Iranian airlines won't stop the civil aviation industry of Iran.
This was announced in a statement by the Iran's Civil Aviation Organization, citing remarks made by organization's chairman, Abouzar Shiroudi.
"Although Iran's civil aviation industry has faced restrictions on the purchase of passenger aircraft and spare parts, technical, banking, insurance, repair, and maintenance services for years, this industry has not stopped and will not stop its activities despite all these pressures," he said.
The organization's official noted that the sanctions do not mean stopping the operations of aircraft or airlines. Psychological warfare against Iran's civil aviation industry cannot be allowed to develop. Sanctions may increase the cost of operation, but they are not capable of stopping this activity.
Shiroudi also said that civil aviation is not just an economic industry, but also a part of the country's important infrastructure, a means of transporting citizens. Accordingly, imposing sanctions on Iranian airlines is practically restricting citizens' access to air transport services. The country's airlines have been providing services despite the existence of sanctions for many years, and the continuation of flights reflects the strength of this sector.
“Ensuring flight safety is the red line of the Civil Aviation Organization. Flights are continued within the framework of technical and safety standards, and no economic or operational issues take precedence over safety issues.
The Civil Aviation Organization is focusing on the negative consequences of the new sanctions, the implementation of a plan to protect essential flights, strengthening repair capacity, and developing aviation cooperation with partner countries.
Sanctions may make it more difficult to meet some needs. The U.S. may impose sanctions on Iranian airlines. However, it cannot impose sanctions on a country's will to protect and develop its infrastructure. The country's flights will continue, relying on local capabilities and in full compliance with safety measures, "he added.
The U.S. Treasury Department yesterday imposed sanctions on 27 Iranian airlines, including Aseman, Iran Air Tour, Kish Air, Qeshm Air, Zagros, Ata, Varesh, Sepehran, Chabahar, and other airlines.
