Iran threatens U.S. with legal action if it blocks new Airbuses

/By AzerNews/

By Sara Rajabova

Tehran warned to sue Washington if it decides to arrest the new Iranian passenger aircraft of the Mahan Air at international airports.

The U.S. government has declared that the assets of Mahan Air which flew the nine used Airbus jets to Iran last month are “blockable”, raising fears of having them seized at international airports.

Alireza Jahangirian, head of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization said the U.S. Treasury Department’s statement contravenes international conventions on civil aviation, Press TV reported.

He said the first of the eight A340s and one A321 will become operational in the country’s aviation fleet in the coming weeks after receiving flight permit.

The United States in October 2011 imposed sanctions on Iranian airline Mahan Air, as well as against the two companies from Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, who allegedly sold commercial aircraft to Iran.

Later, the U.S. government announced that the assets of Mahan Air, which also has a fleet of nine aircraft production of Airbus and purchased in May, are under block and can be arrested.

Jahangirian noted that while the U.S. did not have the right to block them on international trips, Iran should prepare itself for any eventuality, the ISNA news agency reported.

“Under international laws, it is impossible to seize the new Iranian aircraft but we have to see to what extent those laws are being implemented and which countries are trying to show their force to other states,” he said.

The official went on to say that as long as flight permits have not been issued and a disruption has not taken place, Iran cannot make a definite assertion. He also added that if that happens, Iran will take a legal action.

Mahan Air is Iran’s second carrier, and along with flag carrier Iran Air, is working to rebuild the country’s aging commercial fleet which has suffered a series of aviation mishaps under U.S. and European sanctions.

Jahangirian earlier said Iran needed to buy up to 500 passenger planes in the next 10 years to renovate its fleet.

The Iranian aviation industry is under international sanctions. Western imposed sanctions have barred Iran from buying western aircraft since the 1970s.

Moreover, the U.S. Treasury has barred Iranian airlines, including Iran Air, from landing or operating in the U.S. Furthermore, extraterritorial U.S. sanctions prevent European airports from providing Iranian carriers with fuel or accepting their money.

However, a preliminary agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries in November 2013 led to an easing of sanctions in the aviation sector. Tehran was allowed the limited purchase of aircraft parts and repairs, but not aircraft.