Financial Tribune- The number of foreign flights passing through Iran’s airspace in the first eight months of the current Iranian year (started March 20) has increased by 11% compared with the corresponding period of a year ago, according to the director of Iran Airports Company. Rahmatollah Mahabadi also told IRNA that the number of domestic flights increased by 22% year-on-year.

“International flights (arrivals and departures) dipped by 1%, but that is because we didn’t send pilgrims to Mecca this year,” he said. Mahabadi added that travelers on domestic flights rose by 24%, while international flights saw a 2% increase.

Following the lifting of economic sanctions against Tehran’s nuclear program, Iran’s airspace opened up to international airlines looking for safe alternatives to the skies of regional countries deep in turmoil and unrest.The removal of sanctions has also allowed Iran to begin modernizing its aging infrastructure, from old fleets of airplanes to airports operating far above their capacity.