TEHRAN, Iran �� Iran expects the U.S. Treasury to grant licenses by the end of the month that should help complete the purchase of more than 200 planes from Boeing Co. and Airbus Group, Iran's deputy transport minister, Asghar Fakhrieh Kashan, said Sunday.
Iran is trying to upgrade its airline fleet and in June signed an agreement with Boeing to buy 80 planes and lease 29 more. But the deal has come under pressure from lawmakers in the U.S. who have discussed various measures to restrict the sale, including prohibiting the Treasury Department from licensing it.
The transaction would be the Chicago-based planemaker's first in Iran since sanctions on the country were lifted in January. It follows a $27 billion agreement with Airbus Group SE for 118 planes. Airbus jets have more than 10 percent U.S. content so they also require export licenses.
"The U.S. should've issued the licenses already and they haven't done that," Kashan said.
Kashan said Iran has an agreement with a leasing company for $10 billion in financing for the Airbus deal and that it will be signed within days. He didn't disclose the name of the leasing company or say where it was based. The value of Iran's deal with Boeing is not yet final and financing talks are ongoing, he said.
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(Fattah reported from Dubai.)
