Russia and�Iran will discuss launching production lines for�Tupolev Tu-204 airliners in�Iran as the�two countries�� both paid-up members of�the West's Black List � boost their economic cooperation, a�source close to�the negotiations told the�PRIME news agency Tuesday.
The�unidentified source told the�agency an�intergovernmental commission had broached the�question "in one form or another" in�the past, but without result. The�commission will discuss it during a�meeting Tuesday, the�source said.

A�range of�energy and�nuclear power agreements are also expected to�be signed on�Tuesday, following a�meeting between Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak and�his Iranian counterpart, Hamid Chitchian.

The�Russian government is pushing hard to�revamp Russia's domestic aircraft industry, which has lost much of�its Soviet might due to�decades of�underinvestment, after Western sanctions over the�conflict in�Ukraine highlighted the�vulnerability of�Russian airlines, which fly mainly Boeing and�Airbus planes leased from�Europe and�the U.S.

On�Monday, Russia announced it would work with China to�produce a�new long-range airliner.

The�Tu-204 is a�twin-engine regional airliner that can carry about 160 to�200 people, and�roughly stacks up to�the massively successful Boeing 737 and�Airbus A320.

Russia earlier attempted to�sell Russian-made Tu-204 aircraft to�Iran, but the�scheme was derailed by�U.S. Export restrictions, since the�airplane uses engines made by�U.S. manufacturer Pratt & Whitney.

�Reuters reported in�April that Russia and�Iran were negotiating an�oil-for-goods deal worth $20 billion that would undermine Western sanctions against the�Islamic Republic.
By The Moscow Times

 

The Iran Project is not responsible for the content of quoted articles.