Boeing, GE to export aircraft parts to Iran first time since 1970s
5 April 2014, 15:27 -- The American multinational corporation Boeing Co that is the world's biggest airplane maker and engine maker General Electric Co said on Friday that their companies had received licenses from the US Treasury Department to export certain spare parts for commercial aircraft to Iran under a temporary sanctions relief deal that began in January. Iran could require between 250 and 400 jets if sanctions are lifted completely.
According to GE spokesman Rick Kennedy, the US Treasury approved the company's application to service 18 engines sold to Iran in the late 1970s. They will be serviced at facilities owned by GE or Germany's MTU Aero Engines, which is licensed to do the work, Reuters reports.
GE officials would meet with officials from Iran flag carrier Iranair and MTU in Istanbul next week to discuss Iran's needs.
Boeing received the license this week and would contact officials in Iran to determine which parts were needed, the company's spokesman said. The license covered only components needed to ensure continued safe flight operations of older Boeing planes sold to Iran before the 1979 revolution, and did not allow any discussions about sales of new aircraft to Iran.
The sales would be the first acknowledged dealings between US aerospace companies and Iran since the 1979 hostage crisis that led to US sanctions that were later broadened during the dispute over Iran's nuclear activities.
In February both Boeing and GE applied for permission to export aircraft parts to Iran during a six-month window agreed by Iran and six world powers in November, according to Reuters.
Iran agreed in November to freeze its nuclear activities for six months from January 20 in exchange for sanctions relief from Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.
Iran says the sanctions have prevented it from renewing its fleet and to patch up jets that have long since exceed their normal years of service. Since 1990 it has had more than 200 accidents, causing more than 2,000 deaths, according to official news agency IRNA.
Boeing said the license was granted under the temporary sanctions relief deal, and was aimed at helping improve the safety of Iran's aircraft.
Analysts say the sales could help American companies position themselves for potential sales of new aircraft if a broader softening of sanctions is agreed.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
