ATR formation heads for Tehran to beat sanction deadline
Iran Air is receiving a batch of five ATR 72-600s on 5 August, in a bid to beat a renewed US government sanctions deadline which would block delivery of the turboprops.
Iran Air is receiving a batch of five ATR 72-600s on 5 August, in a bid to beat a renewed US government sanctions deadline which would block delivery of the turboprops.
The five aircraft departed Toulouse as a group around 20:00 on 4 August, heading for Tehran Mehrabad airport via Urmia.
Iran’s transport ministry states that the aircraft are due to arrive on the morning of 14 Mordad, in the Iranian calendar, equating to 5 August.
It lists the five turboprops as bearing successive registrations EP-ITI, -ITJ, -ITK, -ITL and –ITM.
ATR had already delivered eight of the type to the Iranian flag-carrier, out of a total firm order for 20 which was finally concluded with the airline around April last year.
But the airframer had been pessimistic about the possibility of handing over any more, given US president Donald Trump’s decision to abandon a nuclear-related agreement which had eased sanctions and allowed Iran Airto commence a fleet modernisation.
The renewed sanctions have been due to take effect from 6 August, the end of a 90-day wind-down period.
Iran’s transport ministry says the French authorities had sought US approval to deliver the additional ATRs and that they will take the total number of new aircraft in the Iran Air fleet to 16, comprising 13 ATR 72-600s, two Airbus A330-200s and an A321.
