The License for Airbus Sales to Iran Issued in 'Pursuit of U.S. Commitments'

John Kirby, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, stated on Tuesday that the license issued by the U.S. Treasury to Airbus for the sale of aircraft is part of Washington's commitments under the nuclear deal, the JCPOA. According to Reuters, Airbus announced on Tuesday that it has received a second license to finalize the sale of aircraft to Iran. Earlier that day, a knowledgeable official from the U.S. Treasury had said that the department issued the necessary license for the sale of 106 passenger aircraft to Iran Air from the French company Airbus. In this context, John Kirby emphasized in his Tuesday press conference, in response to a question regarding the license for the sale of Airbus aircraft to Iran, that he fundamentally assures that the U.S. is taking no action other than fulfilling its commitments. He added that actions like those being discussed regarding the issuance of licenses have been planned for weeks, if not months. He further noted that such actions cannot be done overnight and require planning. The Treasury Department has worked seriously on this issue, and there is no intention to make irreversible actions; rather, it is about fulfilling our commitments. Kirby stressed that without intending to speculate on what actions the next government will take regarding the nuclear deal, it is important to emphasize that this agreement is not just between Iran and the U.S., but an international and multilateral agreement. He stated that the characteristics of this agreement, as an international agreement, must be taken into account. We still firmly believe in the correctness and validity of this agreement and that it can ensure the security of our allies in the region and the American people. Meanwhile, Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Leader, and Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, have written to Barack Obama urging him to refrain from issuing new licenses and regulations regarding the expansion of investment in Iran in the last two months of his term. In this regard, Kevin McCarthy stated that Barack Obama should not allow Airbus planes to be sold to Iran. This Congressman emphasized that such actions highlight the necessity of reviewing all options regarding this failed agreement by the Trump administration. On the other hand, Airbus confirmed on Tuesday that it has received two licenses from the U.S. Treasury for the sale of 118 passenger aircraft to Iran. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives passed a bill on November 27 that prohibits the sale of passenger aircraft to Iran. This bill was approved with 243 votes in favor and 174 against, and American lawmakers mandated the U.S. Treasury to refrain from issuing licenses for American banks to conduct financial transactions related to the sale of passenger aircraft to Iran.