Mashhad, Khorassan prov, Dec 29, IRNA -- An MP said here Sunday that Iran faced no restriction in the purchase of new planes for inter-city aviation services despite sanctions.

"Iran can easily buy new short-range planes for inter-city transportation," a member of the Development Commission at Majlis Azad Azadimanesh told IRNA here on Sunday.

Azadimanesh said Iran can purchase the latest products from France and Brazil as well as certain other countries to raise domestic air transportation standards.

Iranian air transportation has been lagging behind due to the use of ageing planes for transportation. Officials in charge of purchasing aircraft have come under criticisms for the purchase of second-hand planes, which have so far claimed lives of many innocent civilians and top officials.

There have even been words recently on incompatibility of such planes, purchased from Turkey and the UAE, with Iran's ecology and climatic conditions. There are yet certain groups, who blame the sanctions imposed on the country for the mishap.

Recent reports indicate that a plan to buy four Airbus passenger planes from France was cancelled due to the US economic sanctions.

Azadimanesh, who is a member of a Majlis committee probing into the modernization of air transportation fleet, says the sanctions on Iranian aviation industry concern only the long-range planes for international flights.

He said the Minister of Roads and Transportation Ahmad Khorram had proposed to buy second-hand planes which have been in operation for less than 12 years to meet domestic shortage.