Boeing Makes First Sale to Iran Air Since 1979 Revolution and Hostage Crisis

Boeing has sold plane parts to Iran Air for the first time since the Islamic Revolution and subsequent hostage crisis that severed diplomatic relations between Washington and Tehran in 1979.

American firm Boeing sold $120,000 (£75,000) worth of plane parts to the Iranian carrier, ending a 35-year freeze in business between the two companies amid US sanctions on Tehran.

"During the third quarter of 2014, we sold aircraft manuals, drawings, and navigation charts and data to Iran Air," Boeing said in its quarterly report. The sales generated $12,000 in gross profit for Boeing, according to the report.

The sales were made after the US government issued a temporary licence that allowed Boeing to provide "spare parts that are for safety purposes" to Iran.

The US Treasury Department said the licence was granted in conjunction with an interim deal signed between Tehran and a number of world powers in November 2013 over its nuclear programme.

Boeing said the sale conducted was "consistent with guidance from the US government in connection with ongoing negotiations."

"We may engage in additional sales pursuant to this licence," the company added.

A range of American companies have said they wanted to conduct business with Iran since the decades-long sanctions were temporarily lifted, including the multinational General Electric.

The United States and other world powers have ramped up sanctions on Iran in recent years over its disputed nuclear programme, amid concerns that Tehran was working toward building atomic weapons.

The relationship has since thawed with the election of moderate Hassan Rouhani as Iranian President in 2013. Rouhani has sought to improve relations with the West and has indicated a willingness to give some ground on the country's nuclear programme in return for the lifting of sanctions.