Iran Air is an airline with the IATA code IR Iran and the ICAO code and the code calling IRANAIR IRA, founded in 1946 as an Iranian Airways. Dated February 24, 1963, Iranian Airways joined the Persian Air Services to form the Iran National Airlines Corporation, more commonly known as Iran Air.
The airline serves 60 destinations (35 international and 25 domestic). It operates 64 aircraft made by Boeing and Airbus, who mostly bought before the 1979 Iranian Islamic Revolution. Sanctions from the U.S. and the EU make it difficult to buy the airline spare parts to take care of its planes.
So, this year Iran Air decides to buy new aircraft from Russia, namely 35 Tupolev Tu-204 (5 of them booked for Iran Air Tours), which is scheduled to enter service in 2011.
Iran Air also interested to buy Ilyushin Il-96 and Sukhoi Superjet 100. Iran Air also has a domestic and charter airline named Iran Air Tours as well as a five star hotel chains (although it does not meet international standards, mostly built before the Islamic Revolution, which eventually nationalized) named Homa Hotel Group.