US to issue aircraft purchasing licences to Iran within weeks
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The United States will issue export licences to Iran within weeks to facilitate the purchase of Boeing and Airbus jets and European ATR turboprop planes, a senior Iranian official said earlier this week.
Approval had been expected by the end of August, but that has been pushed back to the end of September, Iran’s Deputy Roads and Urban Development Minister Asghar Fakhrieh Kashan said.
“Today we are expecting that (approval) by the end of September for Boeing, Airbus and ATR,” he told the CAPA Iran Aviation Finance Summit in Tehran.
The US Treasury can veto sales of modern aircraft to Iran, including non-US ones, due to the high proportion of US parts.
Failure to issue the required US approval would breach an agreement between Tehran and world powers to ease sanctions in return for curbs on Iran’s nuclear activities, Kashan said.
An Iran Air official said the airline is currently looking to acquire second-hand aircraft or hire crewed aircraft to help cater to surging air passenger demand.
Iran provisionally agreed earlier this year to buy over 200 jets worth $50 billion at list prices from Airbus and Boeing.
Both deals hinge on the longer-than-expected process of winning US Treasury approval.
Akhoundi said Iran was complying with its obligations and in the meantime, continued to negotiate with other aircraft manufacturers.
“We are negotiating with all those big names,” he told the CAPA Aviation Finance Summit.
“There are a lot of obstacles but I am sure that because we have respected all the international rules and regulations, all those problems are going to be resolved.”
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