The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has imposed "political" sanctions on Iran and they are "unacceptable," local satellite Press TV quoted Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Ali Nikzad as saying on Monday.

Nikzad said the IATA sanctions on Iran's National Airline ( IranAir) have been imposed under political pressures of the powers and are unacceptable, according to the report.

During a meeting with Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-HABITAT) Joan Clos in Tehran, Nikzad said Iran does not know the reasons behind IATA's sanctions against its aviation industry, as airlines across the world work to transport passengers and have nothing to do with political issues.

Sanctions have been imposed on IranAir despite the fact that Iran is a member of the international trade group of airlines and pays membership fees to the body, Nikzad said.

According to the report, IranAir has been under U.S. sanctions since 1995 when Washington started forbidding the sale of Boeing spare parts to Iran's national airline. The European Union followed suit in 2010 when it stopped Iran's civilian aircraft from using its airspace.

IATA announced on Oct. 10 last year that it would close its payment services to Iranian citizens using the state-owned IranAir.

Iran has seen in recent years several air disasters, involving both civil and military use aircraft.

In July 2009, a Caspian Airlines plane crashed near the northwestern city of Qazvin, killing all the 168 people aboard. In January 2011, another air crash near the airport of the northwestern city of Uroumieh killed 77, including four foreigners.

Experts said the U.S.-imposed sanctions against Iran, which prevented its allies from selling aircraft or aircraft parts to the country, have undermined safety standards within Iran's civil and military aviation fleet, and are increasing the likelihood of more air disasters.