The Islamic Republic has “no money” to buy Airbus and Boeing passenger planes, chairman of Iranian parliament's Commission on Construction revealed on Wednesday, February 7.

The Rouhani administration was expected to provide 15% of the financing needed for buying Airbuses and Boeings, but Mohammad Reza Rezaei Kouchi told state-run Young Journalist Club (YJC) website that “Since next year’s budget is silent about government’s commitment to provide 15% of the financing needed for buying Airbuses and Boeings, it seems that flights and airplanes are not on the priority list of Rouhani’s administration, anymore.”

According to Kouchi, without pinpointing the source of 15% finance needed for buying new planes, the Memo of Understanding, on buying Airbuses and Boeings will soon be outdated and cancelled.

Rezaei Kouchi’s comments are published three days after Iran Air (HOMA) CEO, Farzaneh Sharafbafi maintained that the Islamic Republic will use the credit lines of French and Italian companies to buy new Airbus and ATR planes.

“To buy some new aircraft, French and Italian plane makers have specified two credit lines for Iran Air (HOMA),” Ms. Sharafbafi said on Sunday.

“We are negotiating with Airbus to use the finance provided by this company to buy several of its planes and we would use the credit lines provided by the French and Italian companies to buy some other Airbus and ATR air-crafts,” state-run Mehr News Agency, MNA cited the CEO, as saying.

Nevertheless, Rezaei Kouchi has begged to differ with Iran Air’s CEO, insisting, “Next year budget bill (Iranian year beginning March 21) is totally silent about buying new airplanes. The Rouhani Administration has only mentioned 15% withdrawal from the national development fund for developing railway networks in Iran.”