ATR - Avions de Transport Régional (EVX, Toulouse Blagnac) has refuted reports in the international media that it has held discussions with Iran's Meraj Air (MRJ, Tehran Mehrabad) concerning the proposed sale of twenty aircraft valued at EUR400 million (USD436.3 million).
In a statement, the Franco-Italian manufacturer said the only talks it had held had been with IranAir (IR, Tehran Mehrabad) which culminated in the recent signing of an order for twenty firm and twenty option ATR72-600s.
"The talks over the last days were held with Iran Air in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations applicable to international transactions, including US laws and regulations," it said. "With respect of the information published on Thursday 28th January in certain media, ATR, an equal partnership between Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) and Finmeccanica, formally refutes any discussion with Meraj Airlines."
The United Nations, the European Union, and the United States lifted all nuclear-related sanctions on Iran on January 16, 2016, thereby allowing Aban Air (Tehran Mehrabad), Iran Air, Iran Airtour Airlines (B9, Tehran Mehrabad), and Iran Air Cargo to once more acquire aircraft on the open market. However, the United States has maintained sanctions against Meraj Air and a host of other Iranian carriers for their alleged support for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) as well as various other groups including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria.
