Thanks to NY TIMES for the photoThis time it's a Tupolev 154. I wonder what role US-Iranian politics plays in which aircraft the Iranians are allowed to purchase, or would desire to purchase. There's a funny cooperation even between supposed to enemies when both parties benefit. In this case, it seems it would benefit Iran to acquire some modern Boeing or Airbus planes. Something with a little more modern technology. They have a great repair station in the United Arab Emirates (ADAT), but I'm betting Iran does most of their own maintenance work, or sends it to China. Who knows?
From NY TIMES article:
BEIRUT, Lebanon — A passenger plane bound for Armenia from Iran crashed Wednesday morning 75 miles northwest of Tehran, killing all 168 people aboard, Iranian state media reported.
The plane, a Russian-made Tupolev 154, went down near the city of Qazvin at about 11:30 a.m. local time after leaving Tehran on a flight to Yerevan, the Armenian capital, said Qazvin police chief Hussein Behzadpour, in comments to Iran’s English language Press TV.
Here's my answer, pfff:
ReplyDelete"With no domestic aviation industry, Iran is dependent on foreign manufacturers for its planes. But trade sanctions in place for the past three decades have hampered access to spare parts as well as purchases of more modern aircraft, particularly from American manufacturers like Boeing. In 2005, the International Civil Aviation Organization, an arm of the United Nations, warned that sanctions flouted international treaties and placed civilian lives in danger."