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"resistance economy" that would lessen dependence on foreign technology and potentially boost export revenue in the face of heavy US sanctions. However, auto production has reportedly fallen significantly in the country and, despite rising complaints about abnormally high prices and concerns about the quality and safety of domestically produced cars and Chinese imports, there are said to be far more potential customers than available vehicles.
In a high-profile case in the city of Behbahan that demonstrated poor safety levels of Iranian cars, investigators concluded, after a massive pileup in January, that the airbags in nearly 60 Iranian vehicles had failed to deploy, resulting in five deaths.
"What kinds of cars do we have? Why do we produce death wagons?" asked traffic police chief Kamal Hadianfar. "Why are standards not met?"
9.1.3 Aviation sector news
Raisi calls for renewed attempt at building first Iranian passenger plane
Iran offers bilateral talks with countries whose national died after Flight PS752 was shot down
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi called for a renewed effort at building an Iranian passenger plane during a visit he paid to Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (Hesa) in the city of Isfahan, Tasnim News Agency has reported.
The reinstatement of the 2015 nuclear deal, or JCPOA, would lift the US sanctions that for several years have barred Iran’s way to obtaining scores of new jets ordered from Boeing and Airbus—but deadlocked talks between Tehran and the major powers mean such a revival of the agreement may not occur, meaning the acquisition of such aircraft would remain out of reach for Iran and the country might have to substantially rely on its own knowhow to replace many ageing planes in its passenger jet fleet that will have to be taken out of service in the not-too-distant future.
Raisi, local media said, ordered Hesa to design and manufacture passenger planes with at least 72 seats to be available “in the near future”.
Days after Raisi visited Hesa, Iran’s defence and armed forces logistics minister, Brigadier General Mohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani, wrote to Brigadier General Afshin Khajefard, chief executive of Hesa’s parent company, Iran Aviation Industries Organization, instructing him to follow up on Raisi’s order.
Under Raisi’s predecessor Hassan Rouhani, Iranian Aviation Technology Development Headquarters (IATDH) was instructed to develop a 72-seat passenger plane. Officials briefed that the aircraft would be ready by 2021, but local reports indicate that a lack of state funding have put the project way behind schedule.
Forbes noted that in February 2021, Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization (CAO) announced plans to start domestic production of a 100-seater passenger aircraft, but there has been no further news about it since then.
In the past, Iran had a licensing deal with Ukraine’s Antonov to build the 52-seat Iran-140 (based on Antonov’s AN-140), but the programme was hobbled by low production numbers and suffered several crashes.
Hesa is also responsible for producing components for Iran’s ageing fleet of fighter jets. International sanctions prevent Iran from importing original parts for the planes.
Iran has offered to meet bilaterally with countries whose nationals died in the accidental shooting down of a Ukrainian passenger by Iranian armed forces just outside Tehran two years ago.
The statement outlining the offer issued on January 7 by the Iranian Foreign Ministry came after a joint announcement from Ukraine, Britain, Canada and
53 IRAN Country Report July 2022 www.intellinews.com