Page 53 - IRANRptAug22

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
Tehran and Moscow agree up to 35 weekly Iran, Russia flights and other aviation cooperation
Iran bans foreign nationals from buying locally priced airline tickets
Weekly flights between Iran and Russia are to be expanded to up to 35, IRNA has reported Iranian officials as saying.
The move would be made in line with memoranda signed by the two countries, which also provide for a limitless number of cargo flights and aviation cooperation under which Iran will supply aircraft parts and equipment to Russia and service Russian aircraft, the news agency said, citing officials at the Civil Aviation Organisation of Iran.
Since Moscow was hit by waves of sanctions unleashed by the West in response to its invasion of Ukraine, there has been a rapid expansion of efforts to widen trade and investment links and cooperation between Russia and Iran. While Russia is now the most sanctioned nation in the world, Iran is the second most sanctioned and has many years of experience of how to run an economy, including industries such as aviation, burdened by sanctions.
Only around 20 countries still provide direct flight access to Russia.
Due to sanctions, Russia also faces a struggle to source enough components to maintain its fleet of civilian aircraft. In this regard, Iran has relied on black market operations and other under-the-radar sourcing activities for many years.
Under provisions of one of the signed memoranda, it also looks likely that Iranian engineers will work on repairs and technical support for aircraft operated by Russian carriers.
The Association of Iranian Airlines has issued a new rule banning the sale of tickets to foreigners at local rates, Financial Tribune reported on July 3.
Local airlines have been offering regional and domestic flights at significant markdowns due to the weakened Iranian rial, with a one-way ticket to Turkey from Tehran now only costing around €110 one way with local airlines.
“Flight tickets will only be sold to foreign nationals through the website of airlines or at airlines’ offices,” Maqsoud Asadi-Samani, secretary of AIA said to IRNA.
Airlines now will have full control over the sale of tickets locally.
The move to ban sales at reduced prices comes as a decision was made by airline authorities to charge a dollar day rate to foreign travellers in the country. However, many have been taking advantage of reduced costs to pass on the savings.
Tickets of domestic flights lasting under an hour will be sold at a ceiling of $100 and those taking more than an hour at $150, it explained.
The price of tickets of domestic flights will remain unchanged for Iranian nationals who have a national ID code.
53 IRAN Country Report August 2022 www.intellinews.com