Azerbaijan, Baku, Aug.5/ Trend R.Zamanov
A new airline will come on stream in Iran in the next two weeks, Deputy Head of Iran's Aviation Organisation Mohammad KhodaKarami said on Monday.
Khodakarami didn't mention the name of the new airline, the ISNA News Agency reported but added it has three aircraft.
According to Khadakarami, new airlines need to buy at least three aircraft in order to receive the required licenses.
Head of the Iran Civil Aviation Organisation Hamidreza Pahlevani said in March that Iran plans to launch two new airlines by the end of the current Iranian calendar year which ends on March 20, 2014.
Commenting on the licenses issued for the establishment of new airlines, the official said Iranian aviation authorities have granted 18 new licenses to eligible companies last year which are currently completing their fleet. He also said that 19 aircraft were added to Iran's fleet last year.
Iran has several private and public airline companies in operation. The oldest is the state-run Iran Air, Press TV reported.
Due to imposed sanction on Iran, international companies are banned from selling aircraft or their spare parts to the country.
Iran is currently cooperating with Ukraine and Russia in the production and operation of the Antonov An-140 airliner which can carry 52 passengers.
After purchasing the production licence for the An-140 from Ukraine in 2000, Iran built its first Iran-140 passenger plane in 2003.
