US President Donald Trump's team given more time over Boeing case

A federal court in Chicago has extended a deadline for the US administration to clarity its position regarding the national security implications of Boeing’s deal with Iran Air.

The US administration has asked a federal court in Chicago to extend a deadline to assess the national security implications of a deal by Boeing to supply Iran’s flag-carrier airline Iran Air with passenger jets.

The plea that was field by the Justice Department pushed the deadline to January 2018.

Based on court papers as seen by the media, the Department informed the court this week that it needed more time to review the potential national security implications behind Boeing's request to keep the terms of its deal with Iran confidential. 

Defending the deal, Boeing argues that making its details public would "interfere with US foreign policy toward Iran by obstructing a key component of the international nuclear deal," as well as undermining its position in the market.

Boeing has argued that making the details of the sale available in court and to the public would harm their posture in the marketplace and potentially undermine the international nuclear agreement with Iran.

The court had asked the US government to state its position on the sale and its relevance to the Iran nuclear agreement by October 12. However, the US Justice Department has now been granted a two-month extension so that it may come up with an assessment of whether making the details of the deal public would really undermine the deal, the CNN added.

Boeing received a license to negotiate with Iran Air in February 2016 after the US and EU had lifted sanctions from Iran following Tehran's implementation of the nuclear deal signed in July 2015.

The companies announced the $16.6 billion deal to deliver 50 737 MAX 8s, 15 777-300ERs and 15 777s to Iran Air in December 2016. However, some critics in the US House of Representatives have tried to block the deal, claiming that the planes will be used for other purposes rather than commercial flights, Sputnik news agency reported.