Iran Air Says in Talks with Boeing over Aircraft Deal
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The chief executive officer (CEO) of Iran Air said the Islamic Republic's national flag carrier is in talks with global aviation giant Boeing over a historic aircraft purchase.
“Meetings and negotiations are going on. We hope that in the future we can reach an understanding with each other,” Farhad Parvaresh told Reuters on Monday.
“The number and type of aircraft have to be discussed in the future, but the first step is to have a mutual understanding,” he added.
Parvaresh further said that there are many issues that need to be resolved so that the terms of a lasting nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers can be honored.
Tehran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) on July 14, 2015 finalized a comprehensive nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and implemented it on January 16.
Iran is in need of at least 300 aircraft for the next decade, Parvaresh said, adding that the deal with Boeing is “not bigger than that with Airbus”, and that it depends on the situation.
He said any such deal also depended “of course on our government as well, because we are a state-owned company”.
Iran Air agreed in January to buy 118 jets worth $27 billion at list prices from Airbus. The deal was sealed during a visit to Paris by Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani.
Apart from Airbus and Boeing, Iran is also negotiating with several other global aviation giants, including Bombardier and Embraer, over the purchases of planes.
