Page 44 - IRANRptDec19

According to one car dealer in the west of Tehran, Arash Rangi, the Toyota Camry hybrid and Prius hybrid models were subject to IRR1bn price hikes in recent days. The price of the Hyundai Sonata low-energy model increased by an average IRR500mn, he added.
The Tehrani car dealer’s anecdotal evidence was backed up by official price tracking websites in the country, with the Hyundai Sonata 2018 GLS model now priced at IRR6.5bn (€48,922 at the free market rate).
Saeed Bastani, a member of Iran’s parliamentary commission on industries, mining and trade, has disclosed that the government plans to sell its stakes in automakers Iran Khodro (IKCO) and SAIPA, according to Iran Student News Agency.
The Rouhani administration announced at the beginning of its second term in 2017 that the government intended to sell off its 14% stake in largest Iranian automaker Iran Khodro and its 17% stake in the second largest, SAIPA. Since then both companies have been severely impacted by the heavy sanctions introduced against Iran by the US last year—foreign partners including PSA Group’s Peugeot and Citroen pulled out of Iran fearing secondary sanctions from Washington should they stay.
Bastani reportedly said: “Earlier last week, the government's economic commission decided to sell all government shares in car companies and some other state-owned corporations.”
Once the stake sales were completed, “the country’s automotive sector will be on the verge of a major transformation”, he added.
The path to full privatisation will take at least a year, but the reported clearance given by the important commission is a significant step forwards.
IKCO and​ ​SAIPA have been a drag on the government’s coffers​ ​since they were taken into state ownership following the 1979 revolution. A lack of investment and a reliance on foreign partners have left the companies producing cars designed in the 1980s, including the Kia Pride and Peugeot 405.
Bastani added that ministries were also gearing up to sell their stakes in six other companies including major Tehran football teams Persepolis and Esteghlal–the two biggest teams in Iran.
9.1.3 ​Aviation sector news
Iran to upgrade entire airport system with IFPS technology
All Iranian airports are to be equipped with the Integrated Initial Flight Plan Processing System (IFPS) by the end of the current Persian calendar year in mid-March 2019, ILNA has reported.
Iran began overhauling its international and domestic airports after the multilateral nuclear deal that lifted major sanctions on the country was signed in late 2015, but the renewed heavy sanctions from the US have slowed down progress including when it comes to the purchase of technology required by international aviation organisations like the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as well as airlines.
The IFPS is a centralised service of the Network Manager Operations Centre (NMOC) designed to rationalise the reception, initial processing and distribution of flight plan data.
Iran Airports and Air Navigation Company's Air Traffic Control Bureau said the plan is to roll out the IFPS system to all airports in coming months, with several major hubs already upgraded to the system.
Airports including the two main airports in Tehran, Mehrabad and Imam Khomeini, are among those upgraded to the new system so far, the bureau
44​ IRAN Country Report​ December 2019 www.intellinews.com