Iran aircraft deals hang by thread as Trump targets Tehran

PARIS – President Donald Trump's hawkish new approach towards Tehran, coupled with banking worries and domestic political turbulence in both countries, are causing growing uncertainty over Iran's $36 billion deal to buy airliners from Boeing, Airbus and ATR.

IranAir's decision to buy a total of 200 aircraft from the two giants and Franco-Italian turboprop maker ATR marked the zenith of a 2015 pact between Tehran and world powers to renew trade in exchange for placing curbs on Iran's nuclear activity.

IranAir says its $16.5 billion deal with Boeing is the biggest with a US company since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Such high stakes make the deals a prominent target for critics of detente in both Washington and Tehran, and experts say that could further frighten off European banks and others whose reluctance to provide finance is already a major obstacle.