Iran in talks with Mitsubishi to purchase passenger planes: official

Iran is in talks with the Japanese Mitsubishi company for the purchase of passenger planes aimed to renovate its aging fleet, Press TV quoted an Iranian official in Roads and Urban Development Ministry as saying on Tuesday.

"Several aircrafts are supposed to be delivered to Iran in the near future by Mitsubishi," Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development Asghar Fakhriyeh-Kashan said.

Reportedly, Iran's Aseman Airlines plans to buy 25 passenger planes from Mitsubishi for its domestic routes.

The Iranians are also negotiating with Canada's Bombardier and Brazil's Embraer to buy passenger planes.

Iran has signed deals with Airbus and Boeing to buy about 200 passenger aircrafts worth of some 50 billion U.S. dollars.

However, the deals with Airbus and Boeing are facing financial obstacles imposed by the United States against the Islamic republic.

On Sunday, Iran's Roads and Urban Development Ministry said that the financial obstacles by the U.S. discourage the aircraft producers to sell the passenger planes to Iran.

On Monday, the two-day Iran Aviation Finance Summit wrapped up at Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport, which sought financial solutions to the country's international aircraft deals.

In the meeting, business and financial representatives of 150 aviation companies, banks, airport operators, investors and infrastructure developers explored financial solutions for purchasing passenger planes and developing aviation infrastructure. Endit