Airbus Archives - Iran News Daily

Iran to Review Airbus Contract If Sanctions Are Lifted

mahla — Fri, 12 Aug 2022 21:26:28 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iran’s civil aviation chief says the country will need to revise a major aircraft supply contract with Airbus in case the two parties return to the deal after a potential removal of US sanctions on Tehran.

Mohammad Mohammadi Bakhsh said that Airbus had violated its obligations under a 2016 deal with the IranAir which required the European aircraft manufacturer to supply spare parts for planes it had delivered to Iran before the U.S. sanctions were imposed on the country in 2018.

IranAir and Airbus signed a contract in December 2016 for supply of 100 jets to the Iranian flag carrier.

However, Airbus delivered only three of the planes to Iran before May 2018 when the US government cancelled the company’s permit for engaging in transactions with Tehran.

That came after Washington decided to pull out of an international deal on Iran’s nuclear program and imposed sanctions on the country.

Iranian authorities have criticized Airbus for its sheer compliance with American sanctions while insisting that the company should have committed to a huge commercial contract which could have been worth around $20 billion.

Mohammadi Bakhsh said Airbus had failed to honor its obligations under the deal with Iran, including those related to the supply of spare parts.

“Definitely, there should be some changes to the terms of the contract and with these changes we will uphold the contract and will continue to commit to it,” Mohammadi Bakhsh was quoted as saying by the ILNA news agency.

The deal with Airbus was part of a larger plan by Iran to renovate its aging air fleet after the country was relieved from a previous round of sanctions in 2015.

The country had signed a similar deal with Boeing for supply of 80 jets and another contract for 20 planes from turboprop manufacturer ATR.

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Spanish Airbus Employees Protest Layoff Plan

reporter 1222 — Thu, 23 Jul 2020 12:29:34 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Thousands of Spanish Airbus employees gathered outside a factory near Madrid on Thursday, waving banners and chanting through face-masks, to protest against a restructuring plan that will see hundreds of jobs lost.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought air travel to a screeching halt, hammering demand for the planes and systems that Airbus produces. The company, which is 4% owned by the Spanish government, has said it will lay off about 900 workers in Spain as part of cuts of 15,000 jobs worldwide.

“We’re protesting because the company, taking advantage of this temporary situation of COVID-19, wants to get rid of 900 workers,” said Jose Luis Collado, who has worked at the company for 41 years, Reuters reported.

“This is a temporary situation. It’s going to pass and we don’t understand why we’re being thrown out on the street.”

From the factory, the protesters marched 2 km to Getafe’s town hall where the mayor gave a speech in support of the workers.

“For us it’s about defending our rights, defending Spain’s aerospace sector. It needs to be supported,” said Lorena Fernandez, another protester with 11 years at the company.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said at the beginning of this month that the government was working with Airbus to find ways to keep jobs in the country, but so far no details on any rescue plan have been released.

France and Germany will bear the brunt of the layoffs, with around 5,000 apiece. But the loss of 900 manufacturing jobs in Spain is nonetheless a blow for an economy that has been among the worst hit in Europe by the fallout from the pandemic.

Before the coronavirus crisis, Airbus was already planning to cut around 700 jobs in Spain.

In recent months Japanese automaker Nissan (7201.T) has said it will close three plants in Catalonia, while Alcoa (AA.N) is in the process of shutting an aluminum factory in the northwestern region of Galicia.

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Iran can manufacture spare parts for planes: Road Ministry

reporter 1222 — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 06:01:50 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iran has the ability to design and manufacture spare parts for Boeing and Airbus planes, said deputy roads and urban development minister.

Ali Abedzadeh, who is also the head of the Iran Civil Aviation Organization (CAO), added, “Specialized Iranian experts have achieved good success in repairing engines and have been able to overhaul the hot and complicated section of the engines through applying appropriate technologies,” Fars News Agency wrote.

He noted that Boeing and Airbus refrain from repairing the damaged parts of the planes that are in Iran, making the country move toward developing the needed technologies domestically.

“We have developed the capability to design these parts and can manufacture them. Of course, they have an identity and are based on standards,” Abedzadeh said.

The official added the US had piled “huge pressure” on plane manufacturers to avoid providing Iran with the technical and operational information needed for repairing and overhauling its aircraft.

The comments come as Iran has managed to get around a series of American sanctions that sought to ground its aviation sector through the imposition of harsh penalties on countries and organizations that provide services to the Iranian airlines.

Those pressures even intensified during the spread of the new coronavirus pandemic in Iran when some European governments refrained for a while from allowing flights by Iranian airlines, meant to evacuate nationals from Europe, to land.

Earlier, Abedzadeh said Iran would soon lift its own pandemic-related ban on international flights, adding foreign carriers would start their flights to Iran in the very near future.

An Iranian aviation official announced in 2016 that Airbus and Boeing had granted permission to Iran for conducting the maintenance and repair operations and producing spare parts.

Maqsoud As’adi Samani, a member of the Iranian Aviation Companies Association, added, “Airbus and Boeing have given the Iranian aviation industry the right to carry out plane maintenance and repair operations as well as manufacture spare parts.”

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Passenger Plane Fleet to Expand Despite US Sanctions

reporter 1222 — Mon, 23 Dec 2019 12:37:47 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iran’s Transportation Minister Mohammad Eslami announced that his country will add new passenger plane to its fleet in the near future despite the fact that the US unilateral sanctions are barring foreign companies and entities from selling anything related to civil aviation to Tehran.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Eslami announced that the new airbus passenger plane will be delivered to the country in the very near future amid sanctions that have made it difficult for airlines to renovate their fleet.

The minister did not elaborate on details of the deliveries, weather the planes were new and which airline would get hold of them.

Local media said that the planes will be delivered to flag carrier Homa, known internationally as IranAir.

There was no confirmation from the company, neither was there any other report suggesting that the airline prepared to get the deliveries in the near future.

However, a Friday report by another local source said that Iran’s Kish Airlines had leased three Airbus planes from a foreign country and that the deliveries were due.

The delivery of the three new Airbus planes to Iran comes amid tight sanctions imposed by the United States which have effectively barred the country from buying new aircraft.

The sanctions, enacted in November last year, even caused Airbus to stop the planned delivery of planes ordered by Iran in 2016.

Airbus has delivered only three of a total of 112 planes ordered by Homa. Two more deliveries planned for late 2018 did not happen.

Homa has also ordered 80 planes from American plane-maker Boeing and 20 more from Franco-Italian turboprop maker ATR.

The ATR sent 11 aircraft to Iran before the US imposed bans on the sale of commercial planes to Iran last year while Boeing has made no deliveries at all.

Iranian officials say the government has paid no down payment for future deliveries of the planes ordered in 2016.

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Three Airbus planes join Iran Air fleet

reporter 1222 — Mon, 25 Feb 2019 13:30:23 +0000

Iran’s national flag carrier Iran Air has purchased three Airbus passenger planes and will add them to its fleet by the end of the current Iranian year (March 20).

Three Airbus 319 aircraft, manufactured in 2002, were purchased from Hungary a year ago and landed at an airport in the city of Mashhad in northwestern Iran. The newly-purchased planes will join Iran Air fleet in the coming days.

Iran Air plans to develop its fleet of aircraft to provide better services to its passengers.

Currently, the flag carrier has 29 aircraft operating flights in the country, which would rise to 32 after the addition of the three planes.

Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization (CAO) has given the green light to the domestic airlines to purchase and import planes, CAO head said last week.

Ali Abedzadeh added that CAO has issued the necessary permits for the domestic airlines to import airplanes, independent of the government.

According to him, the country needs at least 500 civil airplanes and CAO is trying to facilitate the import of such aircraft.

The move comes in the wake of the US sanctions, which prevented Iran from receiving the brand new Airbus and ATR planes it had purchased.

To upgrade its aging fleet, Iran Air ordered 200 passenger aircraft — 100 from Airbus, 80 from Boeing and 20 from Franco-Italian turboprop maker ATR — after the landmark 2015 nuclear deal was reached between Iran and six other countries.

But the US Treasury Department revoked the licenses of Boeing and France’s Airbus to sell commercial planes to Iran Air after US President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the agreement in May and reimposed sanctions.

Under a special agreement after US licenses were revoked but before new sanctions came into force on November 5, ATR delivered 13 of the 20 turboprop aircraft sought by Iran Air while the rest are yet to be delivered.

Airbus, which delivered three aircraft before the licenses were withdrawn, continues to show the order as active on its books.

Boeing never officially added Iran’s order to its list of sold jets and has said it will not pursue the deal.

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No down payment made to Airbus, Boeing: Iran

reporter 1222 — Sat, 12 May 2018 07:10:07 +0000

TEHRAN- Following President Trump’s withdrawal from Iran’s international nuclear deal last Tuesday, Advisor to Iranian Transport Minister Asghar Fakhrieh Kashan announced on Friday that no down payment has been made by Iran to aircraft manufactures Airbus and Boeing, so the country would incur no loss in consequence of Trump’s decision, Fars news agency reported.

As he said, Iran awaits the two companies’ decisions about their agreements with the country.

According to Reuters, Iran has asked Europe’s Airbus to announce whether it would go ahead with its plane deal with Tehran.

“We are in contact with Airbus and they are exploring all possibilities that might exist to take advantage of the limited time in front of us,” Reuters quoted Fakhrieh Kashan as saying.

“It all depends on European government support and policies,” he told Reuters by telephone.

Iran also hopes to import more Franco-Italian ATR turboprops but there are some “technical issues”, he added.

Managing Director of Iran’s flag-carrier Iran Air Farzaneh Sharafbafi announced on Wednesday that the company will announce its final decision about the purchase of aircrafts from Airbus and Boeing within two weeks, Tasnim news agency reported.

Iran Air was to receive 200 new planes, of which 100 were to be purchased from Airbus and 80 from Boeing.
The first, second and third planes that Iran purchased from the European aviation giant Airbus landed in Tehran on January 12, March 11, and March 25, 2017, respectively.

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US to revoke Boeing, Airbus licenses to sell jets to Iran

reporter 1222 — Wed, 09 May 2018 09:30:17 +0000

US Treasury Secretary said Tue. that licenses for Boeing Co and Airbus to sell passenger jets to Iran will be revoked following Trump’s withdrawal from the nuclear deal and the reinstatement of sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

According to Reuters, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters at the Treasury on Tue. that “the Boeing and (Airbus) licenses will be revoked. Under the original deal, there were waivers for commercial aircraft, parts and services and the existing licenses will be revoked.”

He said that the US would no longer allow the export of commercial passenger aircraft, parts and services to Iran after a 90-day period.

After the 90-day period ending Aug. 6, the Treasury said it would also revoke a license that allowed US companies to negotiate business deals with Iran. The Boeing license had been valid until September 2020, a person involved in the deal said.

In December 2016, France-based Airbus Group signed a deal to sell Iran 100 jetliners worth about $19 billion. It has delivered three planes so far.

Airbus said on Tuesday before the Mnuchin news conference that it would study Trump’s decision, adding that it would take some time.

Boeing agreed in December 2016 to sell IranAir 80 aircraft, valued at $16.6 billion. Later it announced another agreement in April 2017 to sell Iran 30 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft for $3 billion.

“As we have throughout this process, we’ll continue to follow the US government’s lead,” Boeing spokesman Gordon Johndroe said before Mnuchin’s comments.

As such, Trump’s pullout from the nuclear deal and his move to reinstate sanctions that were lifted under the agreement will cost Boeing and Airbus the loss of contracts worth roughly $39 billion.

Meanwhile, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that the JCPOA will stay in place if the other sides to the agreement ensure that Iran’s interests will continue to be met in absence of US participation.

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Airbus says keeps on working with Iran on plane purchase deal

reporter 1222 — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 14:00:31 +0000

TEHRAN – Airbus has said it keeps on working with Iran Air and the Iranian authorities on the execution of the plane purchase agreement in full compliance with the nuclear deal requirements and other applicable regulations, AFP reported.

Iran warned Wednesday that its multi-billion dollar deals for Airbus planes had been thrown into doubt by U.S. President Donald Trump’s attacks on the nuclear deal.

“Considering Mr Trump’s stance on pulling out of the JCPOA (nuclear deal) we must make sure that the licences will remain valid… regardless of any decision taken by U.S.,” deputy transport minister Asghar Fakhrieh Kashan told ILNA news agency.

“As long as uncertainties are not resolved, we will not provide down payments,” he said.

“Because of these negotiations, there can be delays in payments.”

“In the most pessimistic case, if America wanted to pull out of the JCPOA, then it can be expected that the executive apparatus too will obey this decision.”
Iran Air has so far received three Airbus planes from its 100-plane order.

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Airbus announces delay in delivery of jets to Iran

reporter 1222 — Tue, 16 Jan 2018 07:00:29 +0000

The sales chief of European planemaker Airbus predicted delivery of the remaining jets to Iran could take longer to complete than what was planned under a deal worth $10 billion signed in 2016.

“I think those deals will get fulfilled, maybe not on the original schedule,” Airbus sales chief John Leahy told Reuters in an interview, referring to the company’s agreement to sell 100 planes to Iran Air under a deal signed in Dec. 2016.

“We have to arrange financing; they have to understand about making pre-delivery payments,” he added.

Iran has so far received three Airbus jets – one Airbus A321 and two Airbus A330 – and was due to get another by the end of 2017.

The country has also received 8 out of 20 turboprops built by its Franco-Italian affiliate ATR, bringing the number of new Western planes delivered to Iran so far to 11.

Although the implementation of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal has paved the way for signing billions worth of deals with major Western companies, banking transactions still remain a matter of concern for bankers who are uncertain over the fate of the agreement due to Washington’s lack of commitment and threats to re-impose sanctions or fine Western financial institutions which do business with Iran.

Iran has also signed a deal with Boeing for the purchase of 80 passenger planes, with the first delivery expected around May 2018. In January, Iran Air also signed agreements to buy 118 planes from Airbus, before cutting the number to around 100.

The total value of the three contracts for the purchase of 200 aircraft from Airbus, Boeing and ATR stands at less than $18 billion.

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Airbus Ready to Finance Plane Purchases: Iranian Official

reporter 1222 — Sun, 17 Dec 2017 16:45:29 +0000

TEHRAN – European aviation giant Airbus has voiced readiness to fund the country’s purchases of passenger planes, Head of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization (CAO) Ali Abedzadeh said.

Airbus, the French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR, and American aviation giant Boeing have already approached Iran to fund the purchases, Abedzadeh said on Sunday.

He added that talks to choose the financer were underway, noting that the three financiers have shown great interest.

ATR signed a firm contract with Iran Air for 20 turboprop aircraft and options for a further 20 planes early this year.

In January, Iran signed a major contract with Airbus worth about $27 billion to buy 118 planes.

Iran also sealed a deal in June worth around $25 billion with Boeing for the purchase of 100 passenger planes.

In similar remarks on Sunday, CEO of Iran Air Farzaneh Sharafbafi said Airbus will fund the country’s purchases of the planes.

She added the issue is set to be discussed during an upcoming meeting with Airbus officials in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on December 17.

Sharafbafi further referred to a recent bill approved by US lawmakers which will bring the sales of American planes to Iran under the close scrutiny of the Congress.

It would require the Treasury Department to report to Congress on Iranian purchases of US aircraft and how those sales would be financed.

The CEO of Iran Air said the bill may delay the issuance of licenses for sales to Iran by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), but will not “affect” the process of purchasing the planes.

US media reported that the new Congress bill had once again brought into the spotlight the question whether undermining plane sales to Iran would break US commitments under the Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, US, Britain, France, and Germany) on July 14, 2015, reached a conclusion over the text of the JCPOA.

The accord took effect in January 2016 and was supposed to terminate all nuclear-related sanctions against Iran all at once, but its implementation has been hampered mainly due to US policies.

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