Sputnik News- Russian Helicopters, a Moscow-based helicopter manufacturing company, announced Tuesday that it signed a memorandum on potential cooperation with the Iranian state corporation IDRO Group, providing for establishment of a joint plant in Iran to assembly Russian Ansat or Ka-226T light multirole helicopters.

The memorandum on�the promotion of�cooperation was signed within�the framework of�a modernization program of�the Iranian helicopter fleet.

"We are noticing a high demand of�Iran in�the light helicopters for�use by�civil state agencies. We are planning to�assemble Ansat or Ka-226T light helicopters at�a joint Russian-Iranian plant. Currently the talks on�this matter are continuing. The memorandum, which was signed today, implies that a full-fledged cooperation agreement will be concluded soon,� Andrey Boginsky, the company�s CEO said, as�quoted in�the press release.

In December, Iran's Minister of�Industry Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh said that Tehran is ready to�establish a joint venture on�manufacturing helicopters in�the country, as�the Iranian market is favorable toward�Russian production.

The Ansat, a multipurpose light twin-engine turbine helicopter, can be used to�carry goods and passengers, as�well as�used for�surveillance, search and rescue missions, and medical evacuation.

The Ka-226 light multirole helicopter has a maximum takeoff weight of�3.6 metric tons and is capable of�transferring a payload of�up to�one ton. The helicopter could be used for�passenger and cargo missions, medical evacuations and intensive care, and search and rescue operations.