The Civil Aviation Organization of Iran (CAOI) proposed launching direct flights between Iran and the US, the official IRNA News Agency reported yesterday. CAOI has sent a letter to the US aviation authority, saying that Iran is prepared to open direct flights between Tehran and New York or Los Angeles.

 

Reza Jafarzadeh, Public Relations Manager of the CAOI, was quoted as saying that "a direct flight to the US could be a positive response to the request of the Iranians living there."

 

"The Iranians living in the US had made the request in their meeting with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during his visit to New York (last September)…. The president had urged the CAOI to study the case," Jafarzadeh said.

 

"The Islamic Republic is planning to start the flights and waiting for the response of US aviation officials," he added. Washington cut off diplomatic relations with Tehran after the Iranian Islamic Revolution in 1979.

 

There are currently about one million Iranians living in the US and Canada.

 

They have to transfer flights in the European or Gulf cities en route to Iran.

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 27, 2006)