Boeing deal with Iran airline a first under Trump

TEHRAN, IRAN — Boeing Co. has signed a $3 billion deal with an Iranian airline for 30 new aircraft, officials said Tuesday, in the first major sale by a U.S. company in the Islamic Republic since the Trump administration imposed new sanctions against Tehran.

The deal for the 30 737 MAX aircraft, which includes an option for another 30, could force Trump to choose between two major campaign promises: taking a harder line against Iran or defending American manufacturing jobs.

The new agreement comes on top of the $16.6 billion sale Boeing previously made in Iran following the landmark nuclear deal struck under the Obama administration. President Donald Trump has long criticized the atomic deal, though he toured a Boeing plant in February and touted the firm’s work as proof of a coming American manufacturing renaissance.

“On the one hand, there’s the attraction of jobs and export orders for American goods. On the other hand, of course, they were elected partly on the promise of getting tough on Iran,” said Richard Aboulafia, an aircraft analyst and vice-president of analysis at the Virginia-based Teal Group. “They’ll have to make tough decisions.”

Chicago-based Boeing struck the deal with Iran’s Aseman Airlines, a firm owned by Iran’s civil service pension foundation. Aseman, Iran’s third-largest airline by fleet, flies domestic and international routes.

Aseman spokesperson Amir Reza Mostafavi told The Associated Press that the deal came following several rounds of talks with Boeing over the past year.

He said the firms signed the deal March 18 and the first aircraft will be delivered in 2019. Boeing said the first delivery would be in 2022.

The new Boeing deal was made possible by the nuclear agreement reached between Iran and world powers. Boeing struck a December deal with Iran Air, the country’s flagship carrier, for 80 passenger planes worth $16.6 billion. Iran Air also will lease 29 new Boeing 737s.