Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that talks were underway about exporting Superjet 100 passenger planes and medical helicopters to Iran.
"The agenda includes possible deliveries of modern medium-haul planes, Sukhoi Superjet 100s, and medical service helicopters to Iran," Putin said after meeting his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani in Moscow.
In an interview with Sputnik Persian, RusIranExpo Company CEO Alexander Sharov was optimistic about the Superjet’s future in Iran.
The resumption of negotiations for the purchase of Superjet 100s by Iranian companies means that the Russian manufacturer is ready to supply high-quality aircraft for less than what is offered by Western companies, Sharov noted.
“In terms of quality/price ratio our planes are better,” Sharov said.
He added, however, that the Western manufacturers offer better financing and insurance terms.
“They also have at their disposal frozen Iranian assets, so they will have no problem supplying planes registered in the West. For example, the Airbus jets already delivered to Iran are registered in Ireland.”
The SSJ100 is a twin-engine plane made by Russia's Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company. It can transport up to 98 passengers at a distance of up to 2,700 miles, and costs around $36 million in its basic configuration. The jet made its maiden flight in May 2008.
He added that a transit route across Azerbaijan would provide a direct railway link to Iran.
“We could even talk about the New Silk Way project because with the high cost of transit via Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan cargoes have to be shipped by sea,” Alexander Sharov said.
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