IranAir (IR, Tehran Mehrabad) is considering setting up a regional subsidiary which will focus on the Iranian domestic market. Outlining his airline's ten-year growth plan, Iran Air chairman Farhad Parvaresh told the recently ended CAPA Iran Aviation Summit 2016 that the proposed unit would likely operate 50- to 100-seater aircraft.

According to the ch-aviation aircraft and route database, Iran Air currently serves Abadan, Ahwaz, Ardabil, Bandar Abbas, Birjand, Bushehr, Chah Bahar, Gheshm, Gorgan, Esfahan Shahid Beheshti International, Kerman, Kermanshah, Kish, Lar Larestan, Mashad, Rasht, Shiraz, Tabriz, Urmieh, Yazd, and Zahedan locally. The flights operate in conjunction with Bukovyna Airlines (BKV, Chernivtsi) using MD-82 as well as F100 equipment.

Iranian deputy minister of roads and urban development Ashgar Fakhreih Kashan said last week that talks with ATR - Avions de Transport Régional (EVX, Toulouse Blagnac) have already commenced over a possible order for forty ATR42/72 turboprop aircraft. If concluded, the deal would see deliveries run from now until 2017.

Not to be outdone, Bombardier Aerospace (BBA, Montréal Trudeau), the manufacturer of the rival DHC-8-400 aircraft as well as various CRJ Regional Jets, has also already held what it terms "strategic discussions" with Tehran. To help promote the firm, Canada recently announced it would be lifting its sanctions on Iran to allow Bombardier to compete on a more equal footing with its European rivals.