Boeing will lose $20 billion because of Trump's Iran decision

President Trump's high-stakes decision to withdraw the U.S. from the multilateral Iran nuclear deal has winners and losers, and leaves serious questions about what happens next, but one clear loser is Boeing. After the U.S. and Iran signed the deal with China, Russia, and European allies in 2015, Boeing signed a $17 billion deal with Iran Air to deliver 80 aircraft and another $3 billion deal with Iran's Aseman Airlines. Airbus also inked a deal to sell Iran Air 100 planes for $19 billion, only three of which have been delivered. "The Boeing and Airbus licenses will be revoked," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Tuesday. "The existing licenses will be revoked."
"We will consult with the U.S. government on next steps," Boeing vice president Gordon Johndroe said in a statement. "As we have throughout this process, we'll continue to follow the U.S. government's lead." Boeing stock fell a modest 0.6 percent on the sanctions news, in part because Boeing already has a long backlog of orders pending, The Washington Post reports.
Trump's decision immediately snaps back sanctions on Iran, prohibiting new deals with Iran and giving companies 90 days to wind down contracts involving airplanes and airplane parts, gold and other metals, U.S. dollar transactions, or auto deals, and 180 days to stop buying Iranian oil or conduct business with Iran's insurance and shipping sectors. "These sanctions do impact all of the major industries," Mnuchin said. "These are very, very strong sanctions; they worked last time. That's why Iran came to the table." He didn't explain why Iran would return to the table after the U.S. broke its word.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Supreme Court rules against Trump on aid freeze
Speed Read The court rejected the president's request to freeze nearly $2 billion in payments for foreign humanitarian work
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'If you keep people permanently unhappy, you cannot have a stable society'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The Nare Hotel: a charming hideaway on the Cornish coast
The Week Recommends Upgrade your classic seaside holiday at this five-star country house hotel
By Theo Tait Published
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump's China tariffs start after Canada, Mexico pauses
Speed Read The president paused his tariffs on America's closest neighbors after speaking to their leaders, but his import tax on Chinese goods has taken effect
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Chinese AI chatbot's rise slams US tech stocks
Speed Read The sudden popularity of a new AI chatbot from Chinese startup DeepSeek has sent U.S. tech stocks tumbling
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US port strike averted with tentative labor deal
Speed Read The strike could have shut down major ports from Texas to Maine
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden expected to block Japanese bid for US Steel
Speed Read The president is blocking the $14 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel, citing national security concerns
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judges block $25B Kroger-Albertsons merger
Speed Read The proposed merger between the supermarket giants was stalled when judges overseeing two separate cases blocked the deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Rupert Murdoch loses 'Succession' court battle
Speed Read Murdoch wanted to give full control of his empire to son Lachlan, ensuring Fox News' right-wing editorial slant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bitcoin surges above $100k in post-election rally
Speed Read Investors are betting that the incoming Trump administration will embrace crypto
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published