IranAir (IR, Tehran Mehrabad) could be severely impacted by a new directive from the Iran Civil Aviation Organization (IrCAO) banning all commercial aircraft over 20 years of age from active service.

During a regional air safety awareness conference held in the capital, Tehran, last week, IrCAO Director General, Alireza Jahangirian, said the directive was part of a raft of measures his department had come up with to push local airlines to renew their fleets with younger aircraft.

"Increasing the safety of flights is among the top priorities of Iran Civil Aviation Organization," he told Iran's ISNA News Agency. "The sanctions imposed on Iran caused a lot of problems for the country’s aviation industry, but we are trying our best to renovate and equip the Iranian airlines."

All flights will also be monitored to avoid any circumvention of the rule.

According to the ch-aviation aircraft database, Aria Air (IRX, Lar Larestan), ATA Airlines (Iran) (TBZ, Tabriz), Atrak Air (ATR, Tehran Mehrabad), Caspian Airlines (CPN, Tehran Mehrabad), Iran Airtour Airlines (B9, Tehran Mehrabad), Iran Aseman Airlines (EP, Tehran Mehrabad), Kish Air (KIS, Tehran Mehrabad), Mahan Air (W5, Tehran Mehrabad), Meraj Air (MRJ, Tehran Mehrabad), Naft Airlines (Ahwaz), Qeshm Airlines (QB, Tehran Mehrabad), Taban Air (TBN, Mashad) and Zagros Airlines (Iran) (IZG, Abadan) would all be affected by the ban.

Following the interim deal signed between Iran and the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, France and Britain plus Germany) in Geneva in November 2013, Iran has been able to access aircraft spares from Boeing (BOE, Washington National) and engine manufacturer, General Electric, thereby allowing airlines some breathing space. The improvement in the diplomatic climate has also seen petroleum companies in Germany and the Netherlands resume refueling of Iran Air flights. In the past, the Iranian national carrier had been forced to make technical stops in either Ljubljana or Belgrade Nikola Tesla en-route to Tehran Mehrabad.

"The National Development Fund of Iran has allocated USD500million to purchase new passenger planes, and initial agreement has been obtained for another USD500million to buy aircraft and related spare parts," Jahangirian added.

The six-month window in which payments and shipments for the spares must be completed is set to expire on July 20.

Iran has stated that should a definitive agreement concerning its contentious nuclear programme lead to a complete lifting of sanctions, it would immediately acquire upwards of 100 new aircraft with an additional 300 required over the next decade.