Iran’s Aseman Airlines signs deal to buy Boeing jets

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Airline to purchase at least 30 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft

In this file photo, the first of the large Boeing 737 MAX 9 models, Boeing’s newest commercial airplane, sits outside its production plant, in Renton, Washington. Boeing Co announced on April 4 that it has signed a new, $3 billion deal with Iran’s Aseman Airlines for 30 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Chicago-based Boeing said the deal includes purchase rights for an additional 30 737 MAX aircraft. (AP)

DUBAI/PARIS, April 4, (RTRS): Iran’s Aseman Airlines has signed a tentative deal to buy at least 30 Boeing 737 MAX jets, in the first new business with the US planemaker since President Donald Trump took office vowing to take a tougher stance towards Iran. Owned by Iran’s civil service pension foundation but managed as a private company, Aseman is Iran’s third-largest airline by active fleet size, according to the CAPA consultancy.

Iran’s official Islamic Republic News Agency said on Tuesday representatives of Aseman and Boeing had signed an agreement in Tehran covering as many as 60 jets, including options, after a year of negotiations. Boeing described the deal as a “memorandum of agreement,” meaning it is only outline for the time being and subject to government approvals. It covers plans for Aseman to buy 30 aircraft with options for a further 30, it added. If completed, the main part of the deal for 30 jets would be worth $3.4 billion at list prices, though airlines typically pay around half that.

Boeing has already agreed to sell 80 aircraft to flag carrier IranAir under a deal between Tehran and major powers that led to the lifting of most sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear technology development activities. Trump has said he opposes the nuclear sanctions pact, but has not stated a public view on the aircraft deals reached under the accord, which the US aerospace industry says would support his agenda for protecting US manufacturing jobs. Washington last month imposed separate sanctions on 25 Iranian individuals and entities following a ballistic missile test.

Iran retaliated with its own sanctions. In a statement on the Aseman deal, Boeing cited US Department of Commerce data suggesting an “aerospace sale of this magnitude creates or sustains approximately 18,000 jobs in the United States”. Boeing deliveries to Aseman would start in 2022, although the US planemaker must first apply for licences from the US Treasury allowing it to proceed with the sale. “Boeing continues to follow the lead of the US government with regards to working with Iran’s airlines and any and all contracts with Iran’s airlines are contingent upon US government approval,” it said. In December the European Union banned Aseman from flying to the EU due to safety concerns, highlighting gaps in Iran’s ageing fleet following decades of sanctions.

The latest deal comes as Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s government strives to highlight improvements resulting from the nuclear pact in the runup to May presidential elections. So far IranAir has received three new Airbus jets under the deal. Rouhani is likely to run a campaign highlighting economic benefits of the nuclear deal, which opened Iran to foreign investment. But Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said Rouhani must do more to improve the economy.

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