Boeing and Airbus sales of planes to Iran safe for now

US President Donald Trump's decision not to re-impose sanctions against Iran is good news for Boeing and its European rival, Airbus, which can continue doing business with Iranian airlines that are desperate for new planes. Between them, Boeing and Airbus have announced deals with Iranian airlines that, if finalized, could cover nearly 300 planes worth $40b. Still, those numbers pale in comparison to standing orders at both companies. Boeing has a backlog of orders that would take more than eight years to fill even if it never made another sale. Airbus has a similarly long list. "This isn't a make-or-break type of thing for either company, but it is definitely good for both Boeing and Airbus," said Douglas Harned, a Bernstein analyst. Boeing declined to comment beyond a brief statement saying that it follows US guidelines and is in close touch with regulators regarding sales to Iran. Airbus declined to comment.<br/>