Aseman Airlines Unaffected by EU Ban

Tehran-based Aseman Airlines says being banned from flying in Europe does not affect its operations, as it does not currently serve European destinations.

The European Union on Thursday said it has banned Aseman Airlines from operating within the EU due to safety concerns, as the carrier "does not meet international safety standards".

In response, the airline issued a statement to Fars News Agency, saying that "it meets all safety standards" as required by the Iran Civil Aviation Organization.

"In the future if we decide to fly to Europe, we'll meet their standards and acquire all the necessary permits," the statement read.

Aseman Airlines was reported in August to be buying 20 regional jets from Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for use on domestic routes.

The EU also removed all Kazakh airlines from its blacklist, due to improvements to aviation safety, Reuters reported.

"After years of work and European technical assistance, we are today able to clear all Kazakh air carriers. This also is a positive signal for all the countries that remain on the list. It shows that work and cooperation pay off," EU Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc said.