Iran says talks with Boeing over the purchase of new planes are continuing, stressing that a deal with the American aviation giant is �very likely� to be sealed.

Ali Abedzadeh, the president of Iran Civil Aviation Organization (CAO), has been quoted by the media as saying that the country�s flag carrier airline Iran Air along with several other domestic aviation companies are currently engaged in talks with Boeing to purchase planes.

Abedzadeh added that separate trade talks are also underway with Airbus as well as other global plane makers.

The media in late January quoted a top Iranian official in a report as saying that the country plans to purchase over 100 planes from Boeing.

The same report said that Iran�s order list from the American aviation giant included narrow-body 737s for domestic flights and two-aisle 777s for long-haul routes.

In January, Iran signed a major deal worth over $27 billion for the purchase of 118 planes from Airbus. The deal � which is yet to be finalized � was signed during a landmark trip to Paris by Iran�s President Hassan Rouhani.

Iran�s Transport Minister Abbas Akhoundi said in January that Airbus�s first deliveries to flag carrier Iran Air are due as early as July.

Iranian officials have already emphasized that the country will need to buy 500 commercial jets of various models for various short-, medium- and long-distance routes.

According to Minister Akhoundi, Iran�s current civil aviation fleet consists of 248 aircraft with an average age of 20 years, of which 100 are in storage.

By Press TV