U.S. Rep. Mike Pompeo of Kansas is accusing President Barack Obama of helping to build the Iranian Air Force by licensing Western aircraft manufacturers to sell planes to the Islamic Republic.
The U.S. Treasury Department has granted Airbus and Boeing permission to sell or lease or lease more than 200 aircraft to Iran’s national carrier, Iran Air, not its air force.
But Pompeo and other Republican lawmakers have expressed concern that the new passenger planes could be used by Iran to transfer troops or weapons.
“Questions as to how these planes will be used — whether for weapons transport or jihadi training — remain unanswered, compounding existing suspicions about Iran Air’s ties to terrorism,” Pompeo said in a statement.
Obama “is essentially helping build the Iranian Air Force,” he said.
The White House on Thursday dismissed Pompeo’s charge that the licenses will enable Iran to grow its air force.
“These licenses contain strict conditions to ensure that the planes will be used exclusively for commercial passenger use and cannot be resold or transferred to a designated entity,” said a senior administration official who was not authorized to speak publicly.
By granting licenses to Boeing and Airbus, the U.S. enables Iran Air — one of the oldest and most dangerous carriers in the world — to upgrade its aging fleet of passenger planes, which are badly in need of modernization after years of sanctions.
The move also gives a boost to Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani, who is facing re-election in May. Rouhani now will be able to point to new planes as evidence of the benefits Iran is reaping in return for adhering to the terms of the nuclear deal.
Pompeo said the licenses are Obama’s latest effort to appease Iran.
“This is dangerous, reckless and wholly unnecessary,” he said.
Lindsay Wise: 202-383-6007, @lindsaywise
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