Iran finalizes deal for 7 Airbus planes: ISNA

[December 15, 2016]  ANKARA (Reuters) - Iran has finalised a deal with European planemaker Airbus <AIR.PA> for seven aircraft, Labour Minister Ali Rabii was quoted as saying by the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) on Thursday.

People are seen in silhouette behind the logo of Airbus during the Airbus A350-1000 maiden flight event in Colomiers near Toulouse, Southwestern France, November 24, 2016. REUTERS/ Regis Duvignau

"The deal has been finalised with Airbus to buy seven planes. The delivery of the planes will start in May," Rabii said.

A delegation from Airbus was in Tehran on Monday for talks to finalize a deal to sell around 100 planes, Iranian media reported.

Since the lifting of international economic sanctions in January under a nuclear deal reached with six major powers, Iran has been trying to renew its aging fleet of aircraft.

An Iranian official told Reuters in November that flag carrier IranAir had reached a deal with a foreign leasing company to finance 17 jets from Airbus.

The head of IranAir said on Tuesday that Airbus had agreed to arrange financing for 17 planes, adding that IranAir was aiming to obtain the first five by March 2017.

(Writing by Parisa Hafezi; editing by Jason Neely)

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