Dubai's trade with Iran will get a major boost when Emirates begins services to Iran's second city, Mashhad, next week.
The airline, which will commence passenger flight to the city next Tuesday, estimates that it can fly nearly 8,000 tonnes of freight goods to Mashhad yearly, in addition to the 17,500 tonnes it already sends to Tehran via its SkyCargo freight division.
"We anticipate that trade between the UAE and Iran will further flourish as a result of the launch of this new, direct five times weekly service," said Khalid Al Hinai, Emirates vice president for commercial cargo in the Middle East and Iran.
Emirates’s new service closely follows Iran’s historic deal, signed last month, with six world powers to limit its nuclear ambitions.
It could take as long as nine months for western-imposed economic sanctions to be lifted, but Emirates has moved fast to exploit the lucrative trade potential.
The airline said yesterday that trade with Mashhad would mainly consist of Iranian exports of fruit, vegetables, carpets, saffron, and nuts, as well as its imports of meat, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, machinery and motoring parts.
None of these sectors was previously covered by western sanctions. Emirates has been flying to Tehran since 1990.
The Mashhad service will give Emirates a commercial foothold in the east of the country, close to the border with Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, which has traditionally been an important trading route in central Asia straddling the “Silk Route” to China.
“Iran is an important market for Emirates SkyCargo, and with our Dubai hub strategically located between East and West, we are able to offer Iranian manufacturers access to our global network coupled with a range of innovative products and services, such as our cool chain offering for time and temperature-sensitive commodities,” said Mr Al Hinai.
The cargo will be transported in the holds of Airbus A330-200 aircraft, which will also be able to carry up to 278 passengers on each Mashhad trip. Emirates also has a fleet of 14 dedicated freight-carrying aircraft.
Emirates SkyCargo already carries Iranian exports to Dubai, Kuwait, Riyadh, Bahrain, Osaka, Tokyo and Melbourne.
An Emirates spokeswoman said the new service would help to link parts of the Iranian diaspora via the global connectivity of Dubai International Airport.
Mashhad has a population of more than 3 million and, as an important religious site, attracts millions more pilgrims each year.
Several regional airlines – including Emirates's no-frills sister carrier, flydubai – already fly there.
fkane@thenational.ae
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
ACC%20T20%20Women%E2%80%99s%20Championship
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Mykonos, with a flight change to its partner airline Olympic Air in Athens. Return flights cost from Dh4,105 per person, including taxes.
Where to stay
The modern-art-filled Ambassador hotel (myconianambassador.gr) is 15 minutes outside Mykonos Town on a hillside 500 metres from the Platis Gialos Beach, with a bus into town every 30 minutes (a taxi costs €15 [Dh66]). The Nammos and Scorpios beach clubs are a 10- to 20-minute walk (or water-taxi ride) away. All 70 rooms have a large balcony, many with a Jacuzzi, and of the 15 suites, five have a plunge pool. There’s also a private eight-bedroom villa. Double rooms cost from €240 (Dh1,063) including breakfast, out of season, and from €595 (Dh2,636) in July/August.
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
MATCH INFO
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The years Ramadan fell in May
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Thursday (All UAE kick-off times)
Sevilla v Real Betis (midnight)
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
Tom Fletcher on 'soft power'
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
The%20specs
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57%20Seconds
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The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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RESULT
Bayern Munich 0 AC Milan 4
Milan: Kessie (14'), Cutrone (25', 43'), Calhanoglu (85')
MATCH INFO
Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Son 1', Kane 8' & 16') West Ham United 3 (Balbuena 82', Sanchez og 85', Lanzini 90' 4)
Man of the match Harry Kane
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Power: 272hp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 331Nm from 5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.7L/100km
On sale: now
Price: Dh149,000
ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon
RESULT
Australia 3 (0) Honduras 1 (0)
Australia: Jedinak (53', 72' pen, 85' pen)
Honduras: Elis (90 4)
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