Official plays down Japan jet sales to Iran

An Iranian civil aviation official has played down reports on negotiations with Japan's Mitsubishi Aircraft for purchase of regional passenger jets.

The Japanese company has said it was negotiating jet sales with Iran's flag carrier Iran Air and Aseman Airlines, as well as the country's aviation authorities.

“These talks are only at the level of negotiations and speculation and nothing is final. So it cannot be looked at as a serious matter,” Secretary of the Iranian Airlines Association Maghsoud Samani was quoted as saying Saturday.

Mitsubishi Aircraft made its maiden test flight in November but development snags have delayed its planned entry into operation, dealing a blow to Japan’s long-held ambition to re-establish a commercial aircraft industry.

On Wednesday, Mitsubishi Aircraft spokesman Miho Takahashi was quoted as saying that the company was researching the Iranian market which it believed needed around 100-150 regional jets over the next 10 years.

Samani said Iran’s negotiations with Mitsubishi Aircraft were similar to those held with Canada's Bombardier and Brazil’s Embraer, while noting that the Japanese company did not have any aircraft yet for sale in its inventory.

“Mitsubishi has begun making aircraft for the first time but has not produced anything yet,” he said.

According to the financial daily The Nikkei, Mitsubishi Aircraft is trying to use the help of the Japanese government for trade with Iran and wants to make use of state-backed financing.

The paper said executives from both sides had discussed a possible deal last month during the International Air Transport Association conference in Dublin.

Iranian officials have said the country needs as many as 500 jets to renew its fleet which has suffered under US-led sanctions for years.

SS