Khomeini Int'l Opens After Decades of Delays

Some projects just take a while to accomplish, such as Iran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKIA).

The airport officially opened on Sunday, some three decades after construction began.

The opening marked the 25th anniversary of the return from exile of revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

The airport’s Terminal 1 is operated by the Turkish-Austrian consortium Tepe-Akfen-Vie (TAV). The consortium is expected to complete the construction of Terminal 2 by 2006.

Located 45 kilometers south of Tehran, IKIA will replace Mehrabad International Airport situated closer to the center of the capital, taking over all domestic and international flights to the city. To date, construction of the new facility has cost $329 million.

The airport’s first phase gives it capacity to accommodate 12 million passengers and 200,000 tons of cargo annually. Depending on demand, IKIA’s design allows for an expansion to 40 million passengers and 700,000 tons of cargo in the future.

Work on the project began before the Islamic Revolution took place in 1979, but was halted due to political circumstances. Construction resumed in 1994. The Ministry of Roads and Transportation contracted Aeroports de Paris (ADP) to draw up IKIA’s master plan, undertake supervision of procurement, installation and integrate of airport equipment and systems.

FMI: www.khomeini.com/gatewaytoheaven/Information/ImamKhomeiniInternationalAirport.htm