Final Contract for Sale of 30 Boeing Aircraft to Aseman Airlines Signed

Aseman Airlines has signed the final contract to purchase 30 Boeing 737 Max aircraft, marking the first purchase agreement with the United States since Donald Trump took office. According to the state news agency IRNA, the preliminary agreement for these aircraft was signed in Esfand of the previous year. Shortly after the news became public in mid-April, several U.S. Congress members criticized the agreement. Republican Senator Marco Rubio described it as concerning, while Republican House Financial Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling also criticized the agreement. However, at that time, Republican Senator John McCain, emphasizing his opposition to the nuclear deal and any aid to Iran, stated that the Boeing contract with Aseman was entirely legal and did not require Congressional intervention. Current statements from Aseman Airlines CEO Hossein Alaei indicate that the Boeing purchase contract was signed after a year of negotiations, and after the delivery of the initial 30 aircraft, 'another 30 will be considered for purchase.' According to IRNA's report, Aseman Airlines will pay a total of $3 billion for the purchase of 60 aircraft, with 95% of this amount financed. The report also indicates that the first Boeing 737 will be delivered to Aseman Airlines in 2022, and within two years, 30 aircraft will be added to the airline's fleet. The Boeing 737, referred to as 'the safest passenger aircraft in the world,' has a capacity of between 138 to 220 passengers, and some analyses consider it the best option for meeting Iran's needs for aircraft with a capacity between 100 to 200 seats. Boeing is also set to provide 80 aircraft to Iran Air, of which 30 are model 777 and 50 are 737; these 50 will be delivered to Iran Air 'over a 10-year period.' Due to sanctions that Iran has faced since the establishment of the Islamic Republic, the country has been deprived of acquiring new aircraft and necessary parts for repairs for several decades, and only after the nuclear deal with six world powers did the U.S. agree to overlook such restrictions. Critics of the Boeing and Aseman contract, including the Chairman of the House Financial Committee, believe that 'providing air services to Bashar al-Assad's regime by Iran' is well documented, and it must be ensured that these aircraft 'will not be used to commit crimes in the region.' In April of this year, relying on a similar argument, Senator Marco Rubio, along with Peter Roskam, a member of the House, wrote a letter to Donald Trump requesting the cancellation of the agreements and contracts for the sale of Boeing aircraft to Iran.