Iran Air signs $536m order for 20 ATR turboprop aircraft

European turboprop manufacturer ATR sealed a long-awaited deal with Iran Air worth $536m at list prices, making it the latest aerospace company to benefit after a nuclear accord eased international restrictions on trade with the Middle Eastern state. Iran Air will take 20 ATR 72-600 aircraft and has options for 20 more, ATR spokesman David Vargas said by telephone Thursday. The first plane from the joint venture of Airbus SE and Leonardo SpA is due for delivery “within weeks,” with all scheduled to have been handed over by the end of 2018, he said. Iran is splurging on new aircraft after economic sanctions stopped the nation of 80m people from renewing its fleet for several years, making the average age of its planes one of the highest in the world and pushing up accident rates. Turboprop models generally serve smaller airports often inaccessible to bigger jet aircraft -- a requirement that’s particularly acute in a country with such mountainous terrain. Beyond the current deal, Iran should also “provide a lot of opportunities for replacement and growth,” Vargas said.<br/>