Iran’s Aseman Airlines had signed an agreement with the American aerospace company Boeing to purchase 60 B737-Max passenger jets worth more than $5 billion based on catalogue prices. The deal is now pending a license from the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, according to the airline.
Boeing said it negotiated the agreement under government authorizations. However, there are still hurdles. Boeing will need the approval of the Office of Foreign Assets Control.
Relations between Iran and the U.S. have been getting worse under President Trump. Tehran slapped sanctions on 15 U.S. companies last month, in retaliation for American sanctions announced in February.
Will US grant approval for $5 billion aircraft order? If not, the airline is also in talks with Boeing’s European rival Airbus to add two A340s and seven A321s to its fleet that is the third largest fleet in Iran, after Iran Air and Mahan.
Aseman has three A320-200s, one A340-300, four ATR72-200s, two ATR72-500s, three B727-200s, one B727-200(F), two B737-400s and 19 Fokker 100s. Tehran-based carrier currently have flights to 40 domestic and 13 international destinations.
