Page 58 - IRANRptJul20

Approval granted for new Iranian airline but operator’s certificate awaited
The connection between Tehran and Manchester was previously covered by second biggest Iranian airline Mahan Airlines; however, it had its UK landing licence revoked, with aircraft safety fears given as the official reason for the move.
The introduction of the Manchester-Tehran flight is perhaps somewhat curious as demand for flights to Iran from the UK remains low, partly given the combination of poor press generated by the detention of British-Iranian national Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe, who remains under house arrest, and resurgent difficulties with the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.
An approval for a new Iranian airline has been granted by the Iran Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), but the carrier is yet to receive its operator’s certificate (AOC), Aviation Iran reported on May 17.
Iran plays host to several small airlines, all of them created for domestic flights. Aeroplane stock, however, remains difficult to come by and is invariably ad hoc. Fleets entirely depend on who will sell Iran planes and components—sellers are deterred by sanctions put in place by the US. Association of Iranian Airlines secretary Masoud Asadi-Samani said the new airline owner was a former senior member of the ICAO, but he did not disclose the person’s name.
Asadi-Samani was cited as saying: "A new airline has obtained an agreement in principle from the national aviation organisation, but has not yet received the AOC from this organisation."
The airline has not yet been able to import aircraft, he added.
News of the new airline comes amid a resumption of flights to Europe and elsewhere by Iranian airlines who have been hindered by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Flights to Amsterdam from Tehran resumed last week for the first time in two months. The operator is IranAir, the national airline.
Flights to Thailand and other destinations are expected to resume in coming weeks, Asadi-Samani said.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on April 30 called on countries to deny overflight rights to Mahan Air, Iran’s second biggest airline, under US sanctions. He said Mahan Air recently delivered cargoes of “unknown support” to the Venezuelan government.
Like Iran, Venezuela has been hit with tough sanctions by the US, with Washington attempting to force socialist President Nicolas Maduro from power.
Speaking at a State Department news conference, Pompeo, according to Reuters, said Mahan Air, Iran’s largest airline, delivered supplies to Maduro’s government. Last week, a Venezuelan official said Venezuela received materials via Iranian aircraft to help it start the catalytic cracking unit at its Cardon refinery. The unit is required in the production of gasoline.
Both Iran and Venezuela are oil-producing countries.
Washington in December and January sanctioned Mahan Air, claiming it had roles in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and transporting arms and fighters to Syria as part of Iran’s backing of Damascus in that country’s civil war.
9.2.4​ Healthcare corporate news
Iranian private insurance company
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58​ IRAN Country Report July 2020 www.intellinews.com