Iran Passenger Plane Crash Lands, Several Injured

[alimostofi]

Iran Passenger Plane Crash Lands, Several Injured

TEHRAN (Reuters) - An Iranian plane carrying 157 passengers crash landed and caught fire at Tehran's main airport on Wednesday night leaving several people injured, officials said.

[alimostofi]

Crash underlines Iran aviation peril


Many witnesses accused rescuers of being slow to react

In the hope of finding a solution, Tehran turned to the former Soviet Union. Many Iranian passenger planes are now Tupolovs, Antonovs and Yaks bought or rented from Iran's one-time northern neighbour.

But from 2002 to 2003 three Soviet-made planes crashed in Iran, killing more than 400.

Last month, a Boeing and an Airbus both had to make emergency landings at Iranian airports on the same day.

Earlier this year, Washington said it would be prepared to lift the ban on selling spare parts for Iranian aircraft, but rescinding the ban is conditional on the outcome of delicate negotiations on Iran's suspect nuclear programme.