P.M. BRIEFING : Fines on Iran Parts Anger Irish
Irish politicians expressed anger today over fines totaling $900,000 imposed by a U.S. court on the Irish state airline Aer Lingus for supplying aircraft parts to Iran.
Aer Lingus agreed to pay the fines in a Florida court late Wednesday after pleading guilty to two counts of violating U.S. regulations through a London-based subsidiary, Alpex.
It supplied minor components for Iranian aircraft under contracts that were terminated in 1985 when Aer Lingus said it learned of the U.S. regulations banning sales.
A spokesman for Aer Lingus said the airline was “very aggrieved to be singled out as a scapegoat for a severe financial penalty.” Gay Mitchell, transport spokesman for the opposition Fine Gael Party, claimed the West German airline Lufthansa and Air France had been involved in passenger and military supply work for Iran Air.
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