LE BOURGET, France—At the year’s biggest aviation trade fair this week, executives welcomed a potential new, big customer: Iran.

Western governments and Tehran are approaching an end-of-month deadline for sealing an agreement over Iran’s nuclear program. If there is a deal that eases sanctions, Iran says it is in the market for billions of dollars of plane purchases.

Earlier this week, Iranian Transport Minister Abbas Akhoundi visited the Paris Air Show, meeting with aviation and other executives gathered for the industry’s big annual bazaar. Speaking to reporters earlier in Paris, he said Iranian companies could replace as many as 400 aircraft over the next 10 years, at a cost of at least $20 billion.

The U.S. has already temporarily lifted some sanctions as part of the nuclear talks, allowing Iran to buy some spare parts and technical documentation for its aging commercial-aviation fleet. More permanent sanctions relief could come if a deal is reached later in June. Western powers are negotiating over an agreement that would limit Iran’s nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief, among other incentives. Iran says its program is peaceful.

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