Financial Tribune - The first Tehran-Brussels route operated by an Iranian airline was officially launched on Tuesday.

The service is offered once a week by Qeshm Air, but it could increase to three weekly flights in the future, the airline�s CEO Mahmoud Shekarabi was quoted as saying by ISNA.

The airline uses an Airbus A319 for the flight. Shekarabi said Brussels Airport is a transport hub, which makes Brussels the airline�s latest ideal foreign destination.

Qeshm Air operates 21 international routes, its website reported.

�Some 25,000 Iranians live in Belgium,� the CEO added.

The flight duration is approximately six hours and a return ticket costs 16.9 million rials ($450), Mehr News Agency reported.

Prior to this, travelers would spend anywhere between 15 and 30 hours traveling between the two cities, with up to two layovers.