US planemaker Boeing is working to resolve certain issues with IranAir to finalise a $16.6 billion aircraft deal, and the manufacturer plans to commence the the first delivery in 2018, a senior company official told Arabian Business.
The deal for 80 Boeing passenger jets, announced on Sunday, includes 50 narrow-body 737 MAX aircraft and 30 long-haul 777s, split equally between the 777-300ER, and the 406-seat 777-9, which is currently under development.
“What we have is a purchase agreement. There are a couple of contingencies we are working on with IranAir and we are quite confident they will be sorted through and finalised,” said Bernie Dunn, president, Boeing (Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and Turkey).
Though no details were given, he cited the example of China, where deals are contingent upon an agreement by the Chinese government.
Earlier on Sunday, Reuters quoted an Iranian official as saying that the Boeing deal was subject to further agreements on financing.
Dunn said the Iran deal was brokered in conjunction with the US government.
“Of course, this is entirely in conjunction with the licence that we has been approved by the US government,” he said. “We worked hand-in-hand with the US government and achieved a good outcome.”
International media reported that political opposition in the US could threaten the deal, although it provides a much-needed boost to Boeing’s order book following a year in which it has fallen behind Airbus in terms of deliveries.
US Congressional Republicans are already trying to counter the nuclear accord with Iran, with the House of Representatives passing a bill in November that restricts financial transactions by US banks in an effort to block the sale of Western passenger jets to Iran.
