Iran and US aerospace giant Boeing have reached a deal for the purchase of 100 aircraft to renew the country's ageing fleet, the head of Tehran's civil aviation authority said as quoted by Fars news agency.

"We have 250 planes in the country, 230 need to be replaced," said Ali Abedzadeh, the head of the civil aviation body, adding that the deal still needed approval from the US government.

Abedzadeh said there could be no precise timeline for the contract without US Treasury permission.

Boeing confirmed on Wednesday that it was in talks with Iranian airlines interested in buying its passenger planes.

In February, the American company was granted approval from the US government to explore resuming sales to Iran after US sanctions were partially lifted in January following a deal on Tehran's nuclear program.

Boeing has requested final authorization from the US Treasury for the sale of aircraft, Abedzadeh continued.

He said the reported value of $17 billion (15 billion euros) for the contract was not final and that more details will be provided after further negotiations.
Source : MENA