Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 14
By Khalid Kazimov – Trend:
A senior adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has criticized a recent decision by the US House of Representatives to block aircraft sales to Iran, adding that the decision is in the breach of the 2015 nuclear deal.
“Blocking aircraft sales to Iran violates the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA/ nuclear deal),” IRNA news agency quoted Ali Akbar Velayati as saying on Thursday.
He added that Iran does not need American airplanes and the Islamic Republic officials are capable of meeting the country’s needs without the assistance of the US.
The senior aide also denied that such a behavior steps up pressure on Iran, describing the policy of pressure as an “illusion”.
The US House of Representatives passed a bill on Wednesday that blocks sales of commercial aircraft to Iran.
The bill prevents the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) from clearing licenses to allow aircraft sales.
Following the implementation of the nuclear deal last January and the removal of sanctions on Iran, the country launched talks with leading airplane manufacturers to purchase hundreds of commercial aircraft from Airbus, Boeing and others. The leading manufacturers require OFAC licenses to complete the sales.