IRNA - Iran's first purchased Airbus 'A321', in its first flight is scheduled to leave Tehran for the holy city of Mashad on Tuesday with the families of martyrs and war veterans on board.

Speaking on the sidelines of the January 12 ceremony to welcome Iran's first Airbus plane purchased after the removal of sanctions, Minister of Road and Urban Development Abbas Akhundi said that on the first flight of the new Airbus, families of martyrs and war veterans will fly to Mashad to make pilgrimage to the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS), the 8th Imam of Shia Muslims.

Iran's first purchased Airbus 'A321' in the post-sanction era landed in the capital's Mehrabad International Airport on January 12.

According to the contracts between the country's flag-carrier airline-Iran Air and world big plane manufactureres, Iran Air is to receive 200 new planes, 100 of which will be purchased from Airbus and 80 from Boeing; another contract is to be signed soon for 20 planes from ATR Company.

In addition to buying aircraft, the contract also includes items like training courses for pilots, repair and maintenance, air navigation services development, airport operation, exchange of technology and the coordinating regulations for Iran Air .

All the aircraft have been purchased under a hire purchase contract, and Iran Air has supplied 85% of financial resources through foreign finance and 15% through domestic resources as well as the National Development Fund facilities by Bank of Industry and Mine.