The news was revealed by Iran Air's Chief Executive Officer Farzaneh Sharafbafi during her meeting with judicial officials over frequent Iranian flight delays, Tasnim news agency reported.
The average age of Iran's fleet of passenger planes is 24 years, she said, adding that the condition of the civil aviation industry in Iraq, Afghanistan and other neighbours was better than in Iran.
"People should not expect too much from an industry not well supported in the past," Sharafbafi said.
Iran will face further difficulties in renewing simple aircraft components as the US has announced the imposition of new sanctions in the next months, she said, adding that the country will have to deliver cash in suitcases for fuel supply.
Over the past two years, Iran has held intensive talks with major aircraft manufacturers including Boeing, Airbus and ATR to renovate its aging fleet of passenger planes after the implementation of the landmark Iranian nuclear deal, from which the US government withdrew in May 2018.
Iran had signed major contracts to buy 118 commercial planes from Airbus, 100 from Boeing, as well as several ATR turboprops. However, the US abrupt withdrawal from the nuclear deal, along with its decision to slap new sanctions on Iran, discouraged these aviation giants from continuing working with the Islamic republic.
(This story has not been edited by Social News XYZ staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
