Austrian Airline to Resume Tehran-Vienna Flight on March 12

(FNA)- The Austrian Airline has voiced readiness to resume its direct flights between Tehran and Vienna, a senior Iranian aviation official announced on Saturday.

“The flights will resume on March 12 after a one-year suspension,” Deputy Head of Iran's Civil Aviation Organization Mohammad Khoda Karami told reporters today.

He pointed to a series of talks between the Civil Aviation Organization officials and the Austrian Airline, and said, “According to our negotiations, the Austrian Airline will conduct five regular shuffle flights between Vienna and Tehran every week.”

The Iranian official explained that the Iranian national carrier, Iran Air, has been the only airline operating between Tehran and Vienna during past year.

In December, Austrian Ambassador to Tehran Friedrich Stift said Vienna is resolved to develop its trade and economic relations with Iran.

Speaking at a meeting with Deputy Minister of Industries, Mines and Trade Ahmad Doust Hosseini, Stift said that Austria has always maintained ties with Iran even during political crises.

He noted that Vienna has never decided to close down its commercial office in Iran stressing that new chapter will be opened in bilateral economic relations once the sanctions against Iran are eased or removed.

The Austrian diplomat added that Austria has never encouraged any sanctions against Iran and hopes for a new phase in bilateral ties after removal of the sanctions.

Speaking at a ceremony at Tehran University on Saturday, Stift expressed pleasure in the positive results of an interim nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers sealed in Geneva, and hoped for removal of all sanctions against Tehran after the endorsement of a final agreement by both sides.

The Australian envoy told reporters that it is expected that the next round of talks would lead to a final agreement and subsequently total lifting of sanctions.

Iran and Austria enjoy deeply rooted relations but due to economic sanctions the level of bilateral trade exchange has decreased, he said, hoping that with lifting of sanctions bilateral cooperation would expand.