Iran in talks with UK over jetliner export funding

Iran is in talks with Britain's export credit agency to facilitate the financing of aircraft sales to IranAir as part of its pact with world powers to lift sanctions over its nuclear programme, a senior Iranian official said. IranAir's plan to buy more than 180 jets from Airbus and Boeing is the most visible economic deal on the table after major powers last year lifted most sanctions on Iran in return for restrictions on its nuclear activities. But financing for the purchases has been hard to secure because most Western banks are holding back, concerned about the future of the 2015 agreement after US president Donald Trump called it a bad deal and ordered a review. So far, IranAir has taken delivery of just 3 Airbus jets, for which it paid cash, industry sources say. <br/>