Iran could be set to buy around 500 aircraft in the next three years as the country seeks to renew its ageing commercial fleets.
The country’s transport minister said it planned to buy more than 100 aircraft from Airbus by March and was also open to the possibility of acquiring more planes from US rival manufacturer Boeing.
Iran wants to place these orders following the removal of economic sanctions against the country earlier this month after the signing of an international deal on the future of its nuclear programme.
Transport minister Abbas Akhoundi said he would be starting discussions with Airbus next week during CAPA’s first aviation summit in Iran and was also interested in talks with Boeing.
The exact number of aircraft Iran wants to buy from Airbus varies from 114 up to 160, according to reports.
Officials from Iran’s government said at the CAPA summit that it had already agreed to buy eight Airbus A380 superjumbos, which will be delivered from 2019.
It also intends to buy 16 A350s as well as looking to purchase a fleet of second-hand A340s, which can be put into service more quickly than new aircraft.
CAPA’s two-day event in Tehran is the first major international aviation event to be held in Iran for 40 years.