Iran to finalize purchase deals with Airbus, Boeing "soon"

Iran will "soon" finalize passenger planes purchase deals with the aircraft producers of Boeing and Airbus, Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi said here on Monday.

Representatives of the two companies have been making frequent visits to Tehran to conclude the deals, Akhoundi was quoted as saying by Press TV.

"Iran is trying to secure the maximum transfer of technical expertise (to the country) in the texts of the deals," Akhoundi said.

In June, it was announced here that Iran had reached an agreement with the U.S. Boeing to purchase 100 passenger planes to renew the country's aging fleet.

Also, in January, Iran reached a preliminary agreement with French Airbus to buy 118 passenger planes.

Western media reported Monday that Iran has inked a deal with a foreign leasing company to finance the first 17 passenger jets it plans to buy from Airbus.