The international community has raised concerns over a controversial aircraft which was recently smuggled from Nigeria to Iran. The two Nigerian registered aircraft were smuggled to Mahran Air by Azman Air.
BusinessDay’s findings show that these aircraft were sold without the knowledge of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA). Michael Achimugu, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NCAA, said that the regulatory agency was planning to write the Civil Aviation Authority of the Islamic Republic of Iran (CAA.IRI),for clarity on the status of the two aircraft.
Achimugu also said that NCAA would write Azman Air to investigate the alleged turning off of the transponder of the aircraft, but said it didn’t “happen in our jurisdiction.” He said that the agency was not aware of the sale of any aircraft, insisting that the aeroplanes had not been deregistered in Nigeria.
The controversial aircraft are Airbus A340-600 with the registration number: 5N-AAM and Boeing 737-300 with the registration number: 5N-YSM. The two aircraft, A340- 600 and B737-300 are presently stored in Teram Imam Khomeini (IKA) and Tehran and Mehrabad (THR), Iran, respectively, and sold to the Iranian airline in violation of international sanctions against Iran.
According to foreign media, the Middle East Forum Observer stated that Azman Air is one example of the many companies involved in Mahan Air’s recent sanction evasion operations in Africa.
According to the platform, Macka Invest in Gambia and PT Asia Global Airlines from Indonesia also have helped Mahan Air and other Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-linked Iranian airlines to acquire aeroplanes, registering them in countries like the Republic of Congo, Burundi, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Gambia before smuggling them into Iran.
By imposing sanctions on these companies, the U.S. Department of the Treasury can also impede the Iranian aviation smuggling networks.
“The A340-642 series is the largest of the Airbus A340 variants, with a capacity of 308 passengers. The use of Rolls Royce Trent 556-61 engines makes it easier for Mahan Air to maintain these aircraft, compared to the smaller A340 variants powered by American-made General Electric CFM56-5C4 engines.
“This ease of maintenance is a key factor driving Mahan Air’s efforts to acquire more of these aircraft through Nigeria.The Nigeria example highlights how the U.S. intelligence community must better monitor aircraft movements in African countries, particularly in the sub-Saharan region, to identify planes that Iran may seek as part of its sanctions evasion operation,” the media platform stated. (BusinessDay)
