Boeing signs US$3 billion 30-plane deal with Iran’s Aseman Airlines

Four months after Iran Air signed a US$16 billion 80-plane deal with Boeing, Iran’s Aseman Airlines has signed a US$3 billion 30-plane deal with the American plane manufacturer. Both deals have come about as a result of Iran signing an international nuclear agreement in July 2015.
The Aseman contract is for 30 Boeing 737 MAX jets and delivery is expected to commence in 2022, though the specific variant of the jet has yet to be confirmed. The contract with Ian air was for 50 737s and 30 777s, with first deliveries expected in 2018. While both deals are subject to US governmental approval, during his election Campaign, the now President Trump had made it clear he wanted to ‘dismantle’ the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran, the U.S and five other major powers.
The plane manufacturer stated that: “Boeing confirms the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Iran Aseman Airlines, expressing the airline’s intent to purchase 30 Boeing 737 MAX airplanes with a list price value of $3 billion.
“The agreement also provides the airline with purchase rights for 30 additional 737 MAXs.”
Boeing also added that this latest deal: “creates or sustains approximately 18,000 jobs in the United States.”
Aseman Airlines was established in 1980 and while having previously been owned by the Iranian Civil Pension Fund Investment Company, it has since been privatized. In February it was revealed the carrier had been in discussions with an Irish company to lease seven Airbus 320neos to add to its current fleet of 38 commercial aircraft. Of this fleet, 18 are Fokker 100s, while the rest comprises a mix of ATR, Airbus and Boeing jets.