UPDATE 2: Russia plans to sell civil aircrafts to Iran soon – deputy PM

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ZHUKOVSKY, Moscow Region, Aug 25 (PRIME) -- Russia plans to sell civil aircraft production to Iran very soon, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin told PRIME on Tuesday on the sidelines of the MAKS international airshow.

“We do not rule out that Iranians may become one of our partners in purchasing Russian civil aviation equipment,” Rogozin said.

The Iran’s delegation led by the country’s Vice President for Science and Technology Sorena Sattari arrived to Moscow on Monday, and the delegation is to visit several aviation scientific research centers, he said.

The two countries are also expanding their cooperation in the nuclear energy sector. “This cooperation may be expanded due to aviation, shipbuilding and space industries and through using space services,” he added.

Sattari told PRIME that Tehran is interested in SSJ-100 planes and hopes for the creation of corresponding infrastructure prior to the deal’s implementation.

“The airlines, companies buying these planes is the most important thing here. I know that the planes’ size fits Iran and we are comfortable with using such planes…I have spoken to some top-managers of Iranian airlines, and they are interested in this, they wish to buy such planes,” he said.

“We have discussed the issue with the industry minister (Denis Manturov) and I hope that soon we will be able to create corresponding infrastructure for implementation of this idea.”

Iran is also ready to cooperate with Russia in the space sphere and in supplies of military planes, he added.

The deal to deliver SSJ-100 planes to Iran may be signed on Wednesday, Iran’s Vice-President for Technological Development Ali Vatani told PRIME.

“An agreement on the delivery of Sukhoi Superjet 100 planes may be signed here, at the MAKS (international air show) tomorrow, if the talks are successful,” he said, adding that he is unaware of the exact amount of supplies.

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