By Andrew McIntosh

Puget Sound Business Journal

Iran Air's managing director says he sent a letter to Boeing demanding the Chicago-based jet maker honor its 2016 commitment to sell 80 aircraft to the Persian country's flagship carrier.

Iran's Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reports that Iran Air boss Alireza Barkhor said over the weekend his airline is trying to revive its 2016 blockbuster contract to buy single-aisle and widebody passenger airplanes from Boeing.

Boeing and Iran Air signed an agreement on Dec. 11, 2016, for the purchase of 80 jets worth $16.6 billion at list prices. Deliveries were to start in 2022. The order included 50 737 Max 8 single-aisle jets, 15 777-300ERs widebody aircraft, and 15 777-9s, a variant of the new and as-yet uncertified 777X. Iranian officials said the Boeing deal was worth about $8 billion.

“We reminded the aircraft maker of its commitments and the human rights issues U.S. always claims to advocate. It is the right of the Iranian people to experience safe aviation operations and have access to adequate and efficient aircraft spare parts as per the contract,” Iran's English-language Financial Tribune reported, quoting the IRNA report.

A second Iranian carrier, Aseman, ordered another 30 Boeing 737 Max jets in 2017, while a third carrier, Kish Air, also ordered 10 Boeing jets in 2017.

Barkhor's remarks came a day after Iran’s Road and Urban Development Minister Mohammad Eslami publicly suggested Boeing should be held accountable — possibly in court — for delaying deliveries specified in its 2016 deal with Iran Air.

Eslami reportedly said Iran Air and two other Iranian-based airlines that have also placed orders with Boeing reserve the right to take legal action against Boeing for not fulfilling their contracts.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes spokesman Bryan Watt said in an emailed statement to the Business Journal, "Boeing will continue to follow the U.S. government’s lead with respect to engagement with Iranian airlines."

All deals require U.S. export licenses from U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control because the aircraft rely on significant quantities of U.S-made components.

Airplane sales had became possible after Iran signed a landmark agreement in 2015 with several nations to limits its nuclear programs.

Several U.S. Republican lawmakers opposed jet sales to Iran because of its ties to terrorist group Hezbollah and its support for Syrian President Bashar Assad. There were also concerns that new passenger jets could be misused for military purposes.

That led to President Donald Trump backing out of the Iran nuclear deal and refusing Boeing's requests for export permits. Iranians are hoping that with the election of Joe Biden, the deals might be revived.