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Even without sanctions, Iranian aviation faces turbulent future

Iranian aviation is faced with multiple challenges, even in the aftermath of long-sought sanctions relief.
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TEHRAN — Other than Iran’s energy, auto, finance and tourism sectors, the country’s aviation industry — one of the hardest hit by Western sanctions — is seen as a major beneficiary of the July 14 nuclear deal with six world powers.

Decades-long restrictions on Iranian imports of Western-made planes and spare parts have left the Islamic Republic with an aging fleet. With an average age of 23 years, Iranian passenger aircraft are nearly twice as old as the international average. This has had a grave impact on flight safety. According to the International Flight Safety Foundation, 1,672 people have lost their lives in airplane-related disasters in Iran since the country’s 1979 revolution. The most recent crash, in August 2014, claimed 39 lives.

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