Boeing, GE Confirm Permission to Sell Airplane Parts to Iran

GE Schedules Iranair Meeting for Next Week

Good news for travelers flying Iranair: those aging planes are going to finally be able to be serviced with new parts from US manufacturers, as both Boeing and General Electric have announced export licenses from the Treasury Department covering parts and repair.

The two announced attempts to try to get the licenses in February, with GE saying it intended to sell the parts at cost or give the proceeds to charity. With so many of Iran’s planes extremely old, the hope was to get their foot in the door for a big sale in the future as Iran sanctions ease.

GE confirmed today that they have meetings scheduled with Iranair officials next week in Istanbul, and the engine service would be done in Germany, either at GE facilities or those of MTU Aero Engines.

Boeing says their export license is “very limited,” covering only components needed to repair Boeing planes sold to Iran before the 1979 Iranian Revolution, but they are in talks on setting up a meeting.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.