Iran Air Signs $16 Billion Plane Deal with Boeing

 

Iran’s main air travel company Iran Air has signed an agreement with American manufacturer Boeing to buy 80 passenger airplanes.

The two companies announced the $16.6 billion deal Sunday after a signing ceremony in Iran’s capital,Tehran.

The agreement calls for Boeing to provide 50 737 planes and 30 777 aircraft to Iran Air over the next 10 years. Boeing said the first planes would start arriving in 2018.

It is the biggest agreement to be signed between an Iranian and American company since Iran’s revolution in 1979.

Iran had previously¹ been barred from buying planes from U.S.-based Boeing because of economic sanctions against the country. The U.S. government approved the deal in September.

The approval was the result of an international nuclear agreement signed by Iran and six world powers in July 2015. The agreement eased restrictions² on Iran in exchange for limits on Iran’s nuclear program.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted last month to block aircraft sales to Iran possibly affecting the Boeing deal. The measure must still pass the Senate. U.S. President Barack Obama has said he will veto the bill if it reaches his desk before he leaves office on January 20.

Boeing said in a statement the deal would “support tens of thousands of U.S. jobs” directly related to production of the planes.

Iran’s transport minister said the agreement represented a “historic” day for Iran. He added that the deal would create 8,000 jobs in Iran.

The official indirectly³ noted⁴ the incoming administration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump⁵. “We hope that despite changes in the U.S. administration, the country will remain loyal to its commitments,” he said.

During his campaign for president, Trump strongly criticized the nuclear agreement. He called it a “disaster” and the “worst deal ever negotiated.” Trump also threatened to end the deal if elected president.

The president-elect recently criticized Boeing for “out of control” costs related to another contract. Boeing has an agreement to build new airplanes for the president, known as Air Force One.

“Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!" Trump tweeted.

The U.S. Air Force has agreed with Boeing to build two new Air Force One planes expected to go into service by 2024. The deal for the Air Force One contract is expected to cost about $3 billion, but costs have reportedly been rising.

In response to Trump, Boeing said in a statement that it was currently under contract with the Air Force for $170 million for the project’s first phase. It said that amount would be spent “to help determine the capabilities⁶ of these complex military aircraft.”

“We look forward to working with the U.S. Air Force on subsequent phases of the program allowing us to deliver the best planes for the president at the best value for the American taxpayer,” the statement said.

Boeing is not the only defense⁷ company that Trump has criticized.

On Monday, the president-elect said the “cost is out of control” on the F-35 fighter jet program of aerospace⁸ company Lockheed Martin. The $400 billion program has been called the most costly⁹ in the history of the U.S. Defense Department.

Words in This Story

sanctions – n. restrictions imposed on a country as a way to try to get it to obey international laws

phase – n. stage or period that is part of a longer period

subsequent – adj. happening after something else

deliver – v. take something to a person or place

1 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

2 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

3 indirectly   

adv.间接地，不直接了当地

参考例句：

• I heard the news indirectly.这消息我是间接听来的。
• They were approached indirectly through an intermediary.通过一位中间人，他们进行了间接接触。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

6 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

7 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

8 aerospace   

adj.航空的，宇宙航行的

参考例句：

• The world's entire aerospace industry is feeling the chill winds of recession.全世界的航空航天工业都感受到了经济衰退的寒意。
• Edward Murphy was an aerospace engineer for the US Army.爱德华·墨菲是一名美军的航宇工程师。

9 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。