Iran to Host CAPA Aviation Summit Sunday

Ahmad-Reza Bayati, the secretary of the upcoming summit, told the Tasnim News Agency on Saturday that more than 160 representatives of companies from 35 countries will attend the conference, which will be held in cooperation with the Center for Asia-Pacific Aviation (CAPA).

“A total of 85 airplane supplier companies will take part in Iran Aviation Summit 2016,” he added.

Such renowned companies as Lufthansa Technik, a leading provider of maintenance, repair and overhaul services for aircraft, engines and components, Canada’s aerospace and transportation company Bombardier Inc., and Brazil’s aerospace company Embraer will take part in the Sunday summit.

70 percent of the companies invited to the summit are active in the leasing section, Bayati said, adding that a number of airport managers and aircraft insurance companies will also take part in the conference.

He had noted earlier that officials with the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus will also attend the summit to talk about the sale of passenger aircraft, but Boeing will not send any representatives due to visa problems.

The Aviation Summit, slated for January 24-26, will be the first major international aviation summit to be held in Iran in almost 40 years, according to CAPA.

The summit will come as Iranian Minister of Road and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi has announced that the country plans to purchase 114 civil aircraft from Airbus Group SE, as sanctions against Iran’s aviation industry were removed last week.

Iran has reached an agreement with Airbus Group SE to purchase 114 planes from the French-based company, Akhoundi told the Tasnim News Agency last Saturday.

The Iranian minister further said the aircraft are scheduled to be added to the country's air fleet.

In recent months, there have been numerous negotiations with major world companies producing aircraft, he noted.

The country plans to renovate air fleet, and the first step has been taken on this path with the agreement to purchase the 114 planes, Akhoundi said.

As a result of the signing of the historic Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in July 2015 and its implementation on January 16, Iran’s civil aviation sector, and its tourism industry, are set for significant modernization and expansion following the lifting of sanctions.

The European Union and the United States declared last week that they have removed all sanctions they had imposed on Iran due to its nuclear energy program.

The declaration came after Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and European Union’s Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini announced in a joint statement on late January 16 that the implementation of the nuclear deal has officially been started.