"Providing planes to small airports was an important concern for my ministry," Akhoundi said on Friday.
The Iranian road and urban development minister said that purchasing small- to medium-range planes manufactured by ATR company played a central role in the government’s plan to rejuvenate Iran’s air transportation fleet.
Last Thursday, Iran’s national flag carrier airline Iran Air finalized an agreement with ATR to buy 20 planes from the company.
The planes – all ATR 72-600 – would be twin-propeller aircraft that can carry 70 passengers.
Iran Air Managing Director Farhad Parvaresh told reporters in Tehran that at least four ATR planes would be delivered to Iran Air within the next month, adding that five more would also be delivered by the end of 2017.
He added that his company had an option to purchase another 20 planes from the French-Italian company.
Parvaresh did not disclose the value of the deal, but reports say it could be worth $536 million at list prices.