Two private Iranian airlines plan to buy 73 Airbus jets

PARIS (Reuters) - Airbus said two Iranian privately owned airlines on Thursday had committed to buying 73 planes in a last-minute flurry of deals for the European planemaker at the Paris Airshow. Iranian domestic carrier Zagros Airlines signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to buy 28 new Airbus planes, comprising 20 A320neo jets and eight A330neo aircraft, while Iran Airtour signed an MoU for 45 A320neo aircraft. Iran has stepped up its orders of planes after international sanctions against the country were lifted in return for curbs on the country's nuclear activities. Airbus said the MoUs were contingent upon all necessary approvals, including from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control. Airbus sales chief John Leahy said he expected the U.S. approvals within the next couple of months. Airbus said it would continue to act in full compliance with the Iran nuclear deal, also know as the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action, and associated rules. IranAir has ordered 100 planes from Airbus and 80 from Boeing. (Reporting by Tim Hepher and Victoria Bryan; additional reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; editing by David Clarke and Jason Neely)