File photo
IranAir aims to take delivery of five more ATR turboprop aircraft, it said on Saturday, easing a state of limbo surrounding Western plane deals since Washington exited a nuclear sanctions pact between Iran and major world powers.
Iran's flag carrier posted a picture on Twitter of five new ATR 72-600 planes outside the factory where they are built in Toulouse, France, and said they would soon arrive in Tehran.
IranAir Chief Executive Farzaneh Sharafbafi was in Toulouse to receive the new planes, Iranian news agency IRNA said.
ATR - co-owned by Airbus and Italy's Leonardo - has been pressing U.S. authorities to allow it to deliver aircraft it built for Iran under a deal to reopen trade links in return for Tehran curbing its nuclear activities.
In the wake of that deal, IranAir ordered a total of 200 aircraft from Western planemakers including 20 from ATR.
Sporadic protests were taking place in cities in Iran for a fourth day, with demonstrators attacking a Shi'ite seminary west of Tehran, according to Iranian news agencies and social media on Saturday, as Iranians brace for a return of U.S. sanctions.Hundreds have rallied in cities across the country, including Tehran, Isfahan and Karaj, according to videos posted on social media, to protest against high inflation caused in part by a plunging rial over fears of the reimposition of crippling sanctions on Aug. 7.In May, the United States pulled out of a 2015 deal between world powers and Tehran under which international sanctions on Iran were lifted in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.Washington decided to reimpose sanctions on Iran upon its withdrawal, accusing it of posing a security threat, and has told countries they must halt all imports of Iranian oil from Nov. 4 or face U.S. financial measures.D-8 looks to further enhance business among membersThe protests have often begun with slogans against the high cost of living and alleged financial corruption but quickly turned into anti-government rallies.In the town of Eshtehard, 100 km (63 miles) west of Tehran, riot police intervened late on Friday to disperse about 500 people who chanted slogans against the government, with some throwing rocks and bricks at a Shi'ite Muslim seminary, the semi-official news agency Fars said on Saturday.In Tehran, street demonstrators chanted "Death to the dictator," according to a social media video, which could not be independently verified.In Washington, the U.S. State Department said on its Persian-language Twitter account: "While it is ultimately up to the #people_of_Iran to determine their country's path, #America supports the voice of the Iranian people, which has been ignored for a long time."On Aug. 7, Washington will reimpose sanctions on Iran's purchase of U.S. dollars, its trade in gold and precious metals and its dealings with metals, coal and industrial-related software.Sanctions will also be reapplied to U.S. imports of Iranian carpets and foodstuffs and on certain related financial transactions.Iran’s oil exports could fall by as much as two-thirds by the end of the year because of the U.S. sanctions, putting oil markets under huge strain amid supply outages elsewhere in the world. 
Scattered protests in Iran as US sanctions loom
But few have been delivered and U.S. President Donald Trump's decision in May to pull the United States out of the nuclear deal gives most companies until mid-August to complete ongoing business with Iran before new U.S. sanctions apply.
Planemakers say they are unable to use this window because Washington has also revoked export licences needed by all Western planemakers due to their heavy use of U.S. parts.
ATR - which had delivered 8 planes to Iran under the deal and started building another 12 - has been lobbying the U.S. Treasury to allow it to take advantage of the normal wind-down period for Iran business by giving it temporary new licences.
Iranians on Thursday took to the streets in the capital Tehran over rising inflation and high cost of living in the country.People gathered at Meydan-e Vali Asr Square, chanting slogans and lit up garbage cans in an act of expressing dissatisfaction over the current economic situation.Couple of days ago, the street protests emerged in city of Isfahan that spread to other cities, including Meshed, Shiraz and Tehran.Iran continues to face a host of serious economic challenges, including high unemployment and a weakening currency, due to longstanding U.S. sanctions.Many Iranian traders and importers face difficulties obtaining foreign currency, which they need to pay for imported commodities.
Iranians take to streets in capital over economic woes
ATR declined to comment. Industry sources said the final number of planes to be delivered would be known in coming days.
The U.S decision on Iran has raised question marks over whether ATR can reach a target of stabilising annual deliveries at 80 aircraft in 2018.
The planemaker has said it will suffer financial damage if it cannot deliver the aircraft it has already produced following earlier U.S. approvals, and is looking for alternative buyers.
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has condemned a U.S. decision to impose sanctions on two Turkish government ministers in retaliation for the ongoing detention of an American pastor facing terrorism charges in Turkey.“These unlawful U.S. sanctions on two Turkish government ministers -- from an allied country -- illustrate the U.S. administration's longstanding policy of pressure and extortion,” Zarif tweeted on Thursday.On Wednesday night, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders announced that the U.S. had imposed sanctions on Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu and Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül.Turkish Bar Association slams US sanction moveBrunson has been accused by the Turkish authorities of spying for the PKK (which has been a designated as a terrorist group by both the U.S. and Turkey) and U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen and the latter’s Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), which orchestrated Turkey’s failed July 2016 coup attempt that left 251 martyrs in its wake.Ankara also accuses FETÖ of carrying out a long-running campaign to overthrow the Turkish state through the infiltration of state institutions.Parliament speaker calls US sanctions ‘unlawful and arbitrary’US is a threat to Turkey: İbrahim KaragülUS sanctions move 'abdication of reason': Turkish MPTurkey will not hesitate to respond to US sanctions: Dep presidentInterior minister slams US sanctions move
Iran FM slams US sanctions on Turkish gov’t ministers
Airbus said last month it would not attempt to deliver any more planes to Iran in the wind-down period. It has delivered just three of 100 ordered by IranAir.
Boeing, which had sold 80 jets to IranAir under the 2015 nuclear deal, does not plan any deliveries. Unlike the European firms, it never placed the Iranian deal in its official order book on the grounds that it never received a deposit.