Financial Tribune - The new planes ordered by Iran after the lifting of nuclear sanctions will create 20,000 direct jobs in Iran, an official with the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran said.

“The figure excludes thousands of other jobs which are to be created indirectly,” Mohammad Reza Kazemipour was also quoted as saying by the Persian daily Iran.

Nuclear sanctions were lifted in January 2016 as part of a deal clinched by the country with world powers earlier in July 2015.

Iran Air has already received three of the airplanes it ordered from Airbus. The flag carrier has also signed a contract with Boeing to buy and lease 100 jets.

It is also in talks to finalize another contract with French-Italian manufacturer of regional planes ATR to purchase up to 40 aircraft.

“Currently, 500-700 co-pilots are unemployed in Iran,” Kazemipour said, adding that the acquisition of new planes will generate tens of billions of dollars in revenues for Iran.