TEHRAN– Three new entities have applied Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization (CAO) for license to start airlines, the secretary of Association of Iranian Airlines Maqsoud Asadi-Samani stated.

The official said one of the applicants was issued an agreement in principle, but the new airline still needs to wait for more permits to start operation, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) reported on Wednesday.

Asadi-Samani added that the number of applicants for starting airlines in Iran is increasing.

Meanwhile, a new Iranian airline, Tehran Air, will start operation by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 2016), said its managing director Mohammad-Ali Ilkhani.

Iranian airliners have been long putting on a brave face under crippling sanctions, keeping their aging fleets operational mainly through falling back on black markets.

However, with the nuclear pact concluded between Iran and the world’s major powers, Iranian airliners now hope to fly safer, cutting-edge planes before long.

Earlier in July, Iranian Transport and Urban Development Minister Abbas Akhoundi said Iranian airlines were negotiating with a number of large international plane makers to renovate their aviation fleets.

He added that the country will need 400 new passenger planes in the next 10 years.

Purchasing this number of planes will cost the country at least $20 billion, he noted.

By Tehran Times