The US Treasury Department has issued a licence to France's Airbus (AIR.PA) for the sale of 106 commercial planes to Iran Air, Iran's flagship carrier, a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. 

The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control issued the license on Monday, the source said on condition of anonymity. 

Although Airbus is based in France, it must have US approval to sell planes to Iran because at least 10 per cent of the aircraft's components are American-made.

Treasury's move comes in the waning months of the Obama administration, which negotiated an international deal with Iran last year that lifted some sanctions in return for curbs on Tehran's nuclear program. 

US President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to dismantle the deal, which allows for the sale of commercial passenger aircraft to Iran. 

Last week, the US House of Representatives passed a bill that would block the sale of commercial aircraft to Iran, which would also affect sales by US firm Boeing.