Looking forward to the Freedom of Flights

Maintaining the load of flights redirected through Iran's flight paths after the Ukraine plane crash and insecurities in Iraq resulted in dramatic increase in the number of flights over the country's airspace and an unprecedented record of +600 overflights in 24 hours was set in the past week. It has become one of the main concerns of officials to maintain this load of air traffic, since overflights are a considerable source of exchange revenue for Iranian Airport Holding Company and would quickly heal the aging wounds of the county's flight industry.
In a short interview with Tejarat-e-Farda, the minister of Roads and Urban Development insisted on the importance of maintaining the current level of flights and stated: "More important than aerial transportation revenues, it is necessary for us to make the best out of this window of opportunity and present a reliable and safe image from Iran to international airlines"
Abbas Akhoundi believes the decision of International Organizations such as IATA and ICAO on redirecting a good many flights in the region through Iran's airspace is an extraordinary turn of events and we need to do whatever necessary to maintain and increase the number of overflights.
Speaking of no-flight zones, Akhoundi remarked: "We are making arrangements with security officials to reduce the number of no-flight zones in the country as far as possible, because more airspace is equal to more revenues from overflights."
According to the minister, maintaining the number of overflights would be a starting point for aerial transit through the country; a measure which would bring on substantial revenues and benefits for the economy.
Akhoundi stressed that the he is looking forward to developing transit through aerial routes. He insisted that arrangements had been made to increase the number of overflights. For instance, there have been talks with the Oil ministry for a year.
Akhoundi concluded: "In order for us to effectively attract foreign airlines, we offer airlines to load their planes in Iran with a price of 10 cents cheaper than in the neighboring countries. It seems that Iran enjoys a far more competitive market than other states in the Middle East."