Iran-Uzbekistan air connections resume after a three-year hiatus

The first Zagros Airlines flight to Uzbekistan was operated by an Airbus A320, with registration EP-ZAT, sporting a special livery dedicated to the Kish holiday resort island located in the Persian Gulf (Uzbekistan’s transport ministry)

Iran’s Zagros Airlines has re-established direct air connections between the capitals of Iran and Uzbekistan after a three-year interlude. The airline operated its first flight between Teheran and Tashkent on December 9, utilising an Airbus A320, and plans to use A320, MD-82 and MD-83 aircraft types for this once-weekly service. Eventually it may double the number of flights, reports Uzbekistan’s transport ministry.

Scheduled air connections between the two Asian nations have been suspended for several years. In 2016 Iran Air made a decision to cancel its twice-weekly services between Teheran and Tashkent without explaining its reasons for the decision.

“The resumption of scheduled flights between Uzbekistan and Iran will give an impetus for the further development of cooperation between the two countries in the fields of trade and economy, culture and tourism,” a transport ministry statement adds.

Besides Tashkent, Zagros Airlines serves two other CIS destinations – it operates seasonal flights to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, as well as year-round flights to Yerevan, the Armenian capital.

Overall, Zagros Airlines has some 20 routes in its network, including international services to Iraq, the UAE, Turkey, Kuwait and Bahrain. Founded in 2005, it currently operates a 20-strong fleet of eight Airbus A320s, two A321s, an A319, four MD-82s and five MD-83s.