TEHRAN, Nov. 18 (MNA) – The head of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization (CAO) revealed the repair and maintenance of passenger planes from other countries, including Latin American, European and Asian countries, in Iran.

Mohammad Mohammadibakhsh said countries from Latin America, Europe, and Asia bring their planes to Iran for repair and maintenance services or send the engines of their planes to the country for overhaul operations.

He added that planes sent to Iran for repair and maintenance operations are Boeing and Airbus.

It has been for years that no Iranian planes have been sent to other countries for repair and maintenance services as Iran has turned into a destination for overhauling services of other countries’ planes.

This important national achievement has been made while Iran is under the toughest sanctions imposed by Western countries including the United States, the CAO chief added.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Mohammadibakhsh said that his organization is seeking more direct flights between Iran and Turkmenistan.

The CAO has instructed Qeshm Air to launch two weekly flights to Ashgabat starting last week, he noted.

Given the commonalities between Iran and Turkmenistan, it is hoped that preliminary steps will be taken to increase the number of flights between the two countries following a visit by Iran’s minister of roads and urban development to the Central Asian country, he said.

Talks are underway between officials of the two countries for increasing the number of flights, he said, adding that a memorandum of understanding will be inked between Iran and Turkmenistan in the near future.

SD/TSN