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Iran interested in purchase of Russian Superjet

27 August 2015 [15:26] - TODAY.AZ

By Sara Rajabova - AzerNews

Iran is mulling the purchase of the Russian-produced Superjet 100 aircraft. Three Iranian airlines were reported to have held talks with Russian Sukhoi to buy twin-engine Superjet 100 aircraft.

Iranian Kish Air, Zagros and Caspian companies are the three airlines interested in using the aircraft in their fleet, the Fars news agency reported.

Sorena Sattari, the Iranian Vice-President for Science and Technology said during his recent Moscow visit that Iranian aviation companies are interested in Russia’s Superjet passenger planes amid Tehran’s measure to build up the country’s aging fleet.

He said Superjet is built in cooperation with Airbus and Boeing and Iranian aviation companies are interested in having it since it is a very low-cost aircraft while there is no Airbus in the 100-seat size.

The 100-seat Superjet is the symbol of Russia's bid to assert its share in the jet manufacturing business. The country has delivered over 50 aircraft since operating the first SSJ100 commercial flight in 2011.

Sattari said an international consortium manufactures the Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft, underlining that the aircraft is completely different with other Russian passenger planes.

The Sukhoi Superjet is the first new airliner Russia has developed since the fall of the Soviet Union.

Iran would face no problem in maintaining and repair of the Sukhoi Superjet due to its similarities with Airbus, Sattari further added.

In mid-July Russia’s Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov said that Tehran and Moscow are holding talks over Russia supplying the Islamic Republic with Sukhoi Superjet passenger planes.

However, Iranian airlines in total are not interested in buying any more Russian planes. Their performance was unsatisfactory when flown in the country’s aviation market during the sanctions period.

Maqsoud Samani Assadi, the secretary of Iran’s Airlines Association earlier said economic calculations and Iran’s bad experience with Russian Tupolev airplanes make it more likely that Iranian aviation companies would seek Airbus and Boeing products instead.

However, Russian aircraft manufacturers remain committed to gain an advantage in Iran’s market despite negative viewpoints in Iran.

Yesterday Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin also said that Russia intends to provide Iran with the civil aircraft in the near future.

"We do not exclude the possibility that Iran may become one of our partners in the procurement of Russian civil aircraft," Rogozin said.

Iranian officials say 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.

Earlier this year, Iran added 9 new planes less than 10 years old to its air fleet.

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.

URL: http://www.today.az/news/regions/143225.html

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