Tehran, Iran, Nov. 8
By Mehdi Sepahvand, Fatih Karimov – Trend:
Iran confirmed that it has held talks with foreign leasing companies to finance Airbus jets purchase.
Several companies have submitted offers to finance the Iran-Airbus deal, government spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht said in a press conference Nov. 8, Trend correspondent reported.
Nobakht further said that Tehran will make decision to choose one of the leasing firms.
This is while Reuters reported Nov. 7 that Tehran has already reached a deal with a foreign leasing company on the issue.
The deal removes a significant hurdle to securing the first tranche of jets, following uncertainty over financing and political opposition in the United States and Iran, though the sources caution months of talking have thrown up new potential hurdles.
Iranian officials declined to name the lessor involved, but industry sources said in September that Iran was in advanced talks with the United Arab Emirates' Dubai Aerospace about helping to finance the purchase.
"We have a deal to finance the first 17 aircraft," a senior Iranian official told Reuters, without elaborating.
Earlier in September the US removed a final hurdle for Western aircraft manufacturers to sell planes to the Islamic Republic.
Iran plans to buy about 500 aircraft in 10 years to refurbish its ageing fleet. Iranian airliners average 25 in age.