Iran Air says it will buy 112 planes from Airbus, and 80 from Boeing.Vahid Salemi/The Associated Press
Aviation giants Airbus Group SE and Boeing Co. have received permission from the U.S. government to sell aircraft to Iran, part of landmark deals potentially worth some $50-billion (U.S.)in total following last year's nuclear accord.
The announcements Wednesday came as Iranian and U.S. leaders are in New York for the United Nations General Assembly and show that the outgoing administration of President Barack Obama is honouring the economic terms of the nuclear pact.
The next administration, however, may change that equation for Airbus and Boeing, whose possible deal with Iran would be the biggest for an American company since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and U.S. Embassy takeover.
European airplane manufacturer Airbus announced the licence from the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control early Wednesday. Boeing followed with its own announcement later in the day.
Though based abroad, Airbus needed the approval of the U.S. Treasury for the deal because at least 10 per cent of the manufacturer's components are of American origin.
Airbus applied for two licences to cover its deal with Iran to ensure the fast delivery of some of the aircraft, Airbus spokesman Justin Dubon said. The licence announced Wednesday covers the first 17 planes involved in the deal, which will be A320s and A330s, he said.
Mr. Dubon said Airbus hoped to receive a second licence allowing it to sell the remaining planes to Iran soon.
In January, national carrier Iran Air signed agreements to buy 118 planes from Airbus, estimated to be worth some €22.8-billion ($33.3-billion). On Sunday, state TV reported that Asghar Fakhrieh Kashan, a deputy transportation minister, said Iran would cut the number of Airbus planes to 112.
Base model A320s are listed at an average of $98-million (U.S.), while A330s start at $231.5-million. That puts the value of the approved 17 aircraft in the first license around at least $1.8-billion and possibly much higher based on list prices, though buyers typically negotiate sizable discounts for bulk orders.
Under Boeing's deal, Iran Air will buy 80 aircraft with a total list price of $17.6-billion, with deliveries beginning in 2017 and running until 2025. Iran Air also will lease 29 new Boeing 737s in a deal that Iranian officials have suggested would be worth some $25-billion in total.
In a statement, Boeing spokesman Marc Sklar said, "We have received that licence and remain in talks with Iran Air" based on the memorandum of agreement reached in June.
The U.S. Treasury confirmed in a statement that the agency had granted the first licences to Airbus and Boeing.
"These licences contain strict conditions to ensure that the planes will be used exclusively for commercial passenger use and cannot be resold or transferred to a designated entity," the Treasury said in the statement.
Iran's English language Press TV reported Thursday that Mr. Fakhrieh Kashan said Iran expects the purchase of planes from Boeing to proceed faster than they will with France's Airbus. "This is because the structure of negotiations with Boeing is different from that of Airbus," he said.
Mr. Fakhrieh Kashan said Boeing has sent the text of its contract to Iran to be studied by the Iranian authorities. He said that Boeing officials were due to travel to Tehran next week to work toward finalizing the contract.
Iran's UN mission did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
Iran's nuclear deal with world powers, which limits its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of some international sanctions, specifically allowed for the purchase of aircraft and parts.
The licence approval clears the way for the two plane manufacturers to begin accessing one of the last untapped aviation markets in the world, home to 80 million people. However, Western analysts are skeptical that there is demand for so many jets or available financing for two separate $25-billion deals.