Domestic Media: Airbus Unilaterally Cancels Sale of 100 Passenger Aircraft to Iran

The aircraft manufacturing company Airbus has officially unilaterally canceled the contract for the delivery of 100 aircraft to the Islamic Republic of Iran Air (Iran Air). According to domestic media, Hesam Ghorbanali, the Director General of Public Relations for Iran Air, announced on January 16 that the contract, which Airbus had suspended following the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, has now been officially canceled. Ghorbanali stated regarding the cancellation by Airbus: 'The contract between Iran Air and Airbus for the import of 100 aircraft was signed after the JCPOA, but no money was paid for it, and we only placed an order.' He mentioned that 'this order was valid only as long as the JCPOA was in effect.' Previously, Flight Global reported on January 15 that Airbus's latest statistics, published at the end of 2023, indicate that all 97 remaining aircraft allocated to Iran Air have been removed from the sales list of this European aircraft manufacturer. This order was made by Iran Air in 2015 after sanctions were reduced as part of a political agreement regarding Iran's nuclear energy program. Iran Air ordered 98 jets, including 16 A-350s, A-330s, and 8 A-320s. While two A-330s and one new A-321 were delivered to the Tehran-based airline, the remaining 97 aircraft remained on Airbus's backlog list after renewed political tensions between the United States and Iran in 2017. The completion of the Airbus agreement was contingent upon receiving export licenses from the U.S. government, as American-made parts are used in the construction of Airbus aircraft. About eight years ago, following the implementation of the JCPOA, the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) provided the opportunity for contracts between Iran and several major aircraft manufacturers. Under this opportunity, Iran signed a contract to purchase 200 aircraft, which were also canceled following the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA. Previously, Abram Paley, the Deputy Special Representative for Iran at the U.S. State Department, in an exclusive interview with Voice of America, discussed the continuation of sanctions, the nuclear agreement, and the increasing destabilizing actions of the Iranian government, stating: 'Our policy approach in 2024 will counter all these destabilizing activities.' He mentioned the possibility of finding a new solution for the nuclear agreement, saying: 'We are currently far from this type of engagement, and Iran has not shown any signs of seriousness in responding to our concerns and the concerns of the international community regarding the advancement of its nuclear program.' The Deputy Special Representative emphasized the U.S. government's determination to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, stating: 'We still believe that diplomacy is the best way to achieve a sustainable and effective long-term solution to this problem.'