US lawmakers to debate measures to block Boeing aircraft sale to Iran
A U.S. House of Representatives panel will debate legislation on Thursday intended to block Boeing Co's planned sale of dozens of commercial aircraft to Iran, which could also affect other planemakers, including Airbus if they became law; Reuters reported.
A Financial Services subcommittee will debate three measures, including one that would prohibit the U.S. Treasury from licensing the sale announced last month. Another would bar the Treasury secretary for authorizing transactions by U.S. financial institutions connected to the export of aircraft.
A third measure would bar the Export-Import Bank from financing involving any entity that does business with Iran or provides financing to another entity to facilitate transactions with Iran.
If the bills became law, they would affect other firms' sales to Iran because virtually all modern jets have more than 10 percent U.S. content, the threshold for requiring export licenses.
A House committee aide said the full financial services committee was likely to approve the bills, but a vote had not yet been scheduled. However, the measures showed the extent of concern by Republicans, who control majorities in both the House and Senate, about the Iran deal and the potential Boeing sale.
Democrats, including President Barack Obama, are expected to oppose the legislation.
An Iranian official told Reuters some officials in Tehran are concerned about the legislation, arguing that if such measures become law they could endanger implementation of the nuclear deal by intensifying pressure on Iran President Hassan Rouhani to take a harder line in his dealings with the United States and its allies.
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