Iran claimed on Sunday that it had negotiated to purchase 80 new Boeing airliners for half of the $16.6 billion price which the American plane manufacturer has said the aircraft were worth, Reuters reported. The Islamic Republic signed the deal with Boeing to replace its aging fleet of airliners earlier this month.
"Boeing has announced that its IranAir contract is worth $16.6 billion. However, considering the nature of our order and its choice possibilities, the purchase contract for 80 Boeing aircraft is worth about 50 percent of that amount," said Iranian Deputy Transport Minister Asghar Fakhrieh-Kashan.
The sale of the aircraft to Iran could only take place after sanctions on Iran were lifted as part of the JCPOA nuclear deal. The US House of Representatives passed a bill which would ban the sale of the Boeing Aircraft to Iran. Outgoing President Barack Obama has vowed to veto the bill if it passes the Senate. Iran also announced that it had signed a contract to purchase 100 airliners from the European plan manufacturer Airbus. (Read More)
