Iran says it has bought 15 second-hand civilian aircraft in the last three months in a move to modernize an aging fleet hit by U.S. sanctions that restrict trade of aircraft and parts.
ISNA news agency on May 10 quoted Transport Minister Abbas Akhoondi as saying nine of the planes had been obtained in the past week, without specifying who had sold them or how they had been bought.
The report did not identify the type of aircraft purchased.
"With the arrival of these new aircraft, the average age of the active planes in Iran has fallen from 20 years to 19 years," Akhoondi was quoted as saying.
A ban on the sale of spare parts was eased under an interim nuclear deal between Iran and world powers in late 2013.
However, the U.S. sanctions regime still restricts sales of aircraft.
Iranian airlines have suffered several deadly crashes in recent years due to mechanical failures.
