Iranian woman Farzaneh Sharafbafi has officially taken charge of Iran Air, the country's flag carrier airline company, a report said.

Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi, who appointed Sharafbafi, said that he strongly believes in equality of men and women in various cultural, economic and political spheres, Irna reported.

The main yardstick for picking up Sharafbafi as the chief of the biggest Iranian airline was her professional and managerial capabilities, it added.

Sharafbafi, 44, holds PhD in aerospace from Sharif University of Technology.

She is the top researcher of the Roads and Urban Development Ministry who has presented various articles in the international level.

Iran Air is the oldest airline in the Middle East operating flights to 56 countries. It currently holds 55 airplanes and it will take delivery of 200 planes under the agreement signed recently between the flag carrier and Airbus, Boeing and ATR, seven of which have already been delivered to the company.