The United States is prepared to lift all sanctions on Iran, including multiple designations against various airlines, according to the leaked memorandum of understanding for a deal ending the conflict between the countries. The draft MoU, which was reported by Bloomberg, has not been confirmed by officials ahead of the expected signing of the agreement on June 19.

"The United States commits to ending, on a schedule to be agreed upon as part of the final agreement, all types of sanctions currently facing the Islamic Republic of Iran, including resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and all unilateral US sanctions, both primary and secondary," one of the points of the leaked MoU says.

Once confirmed, the lifting of the sanctions would enable Iranian airlines to openly acquire aircraft from abroad for the first time in more than a decade.

Iranian airlines were largely cut off from easy access to foreign aircraft after 1979, when the United States withdrew all export licences granted to the country. Such a licence is required for any aircraft with at least 10% of components made in the United States, including European-made aircraft.

Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) deal in 2015, sanctions were lifted, enabling IranAir to place blockbuster deals for 100 Airbus aircraft, eighty Boeing aircraft, and twenty ATR72-600s in 2016. Iran Aseman Airlines ordered thirty B737 MAX in 2017. However, as US sanctions were reimposed in 2018, only a very small number of aircraft were actually delivered, namely one A321-200 and thirteen ATR72-600s (all to IranAir).

Besides the general withdrawal of export licences for the sale of aircraft and parts to Iran, flag carrier IranAir, as well as Mahan Air, Pouya Air Lines, Meraj Air, Qeshm Fars Air, Dena Airways, and Yazd Airways are all specially designated, which bans any transactions involving US entities.

Given the ban on the acquisition of US-made aircraft or spare parts, Iranian airlines are importing heavily used aircraft largely through intermediaries in third countries.