Airbus has just been given the green light by the U.S. government to sell planes to Iran

Airbus has been given the go ahead by the U.S. government to sell planes to Iran despite political opposition to the deal.

The license granted by the US Treasury department allows the sale of 17 A320 and A330 jets, part of a huge $27bn deal announced in January which will see Airbus deliver 118 aircraft, including a possible 12 A380 superjumbo’s.

It’s reported Airbus officials voiced concerns over the amount of time it’s taking to receive US export licenses, these are required to complete any deal due to the large number of US parts in the Airbus jets.

Airbus expects the U.S. government to approve the sale of the remaining 101 planes in the next few weeks.

Iran has said it could start receiving a limited number of aircraft this year, airlines are desperate to modernise their fleets as some planes were purchased before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iranian carriers are also looking to buy second-hand planes to meet their needs.

Opposition.

The granting of the license by the US signals the unfreezing of one of the most high-profile deals between Iran and foreign companies since last year’s agreement between Tehran and world powers to open up trade in exchange for curbs on the country’s nuclear activities.

The U.S. Treasury issued a general license for aircraft sales to Iran but needs to license each individual deal.

The House of Representatives passed legislation earlier this month that would prevent taxpayer dollars being spent to issue licenses, and block U.S. bank financing for the aircraft themselves.

The Republican-controlled House opposed the international agreement to lift sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program.