kollang
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TEHRAN (FNA)- Tehran and Kiev are holding talks to cooperate in the production of Antonov-148 passenger planes, a Ukrainian diplomat announced on Saturday, expressing the hope that the two sides would strike a deal this year, Ukraine's envoy to Tehran said.
"We hope that the new contract for cooperation on Antonov-148 manufacturing will be signed this year," Ukraine's Ambassador to Tehran Alexander Samaraski told FNA.
He further dismissed the speculation that the delay in the endorsement of the Antonov-148 deal between Tehran and Kiev has been a result of the western sanctions againt Iran, and said, "Our cooperation in this regard is completely legal and based on the UN laws and approvals."
In relevant remarks in December, Iranian Envoy to Ukraine Akbar Qassemi told FNA that Tehran and Kiev are in the final stages of their talks on the joint production of Antonov-148 and Antonov-158 passenger planes.
"Tehran and Kiev's negotiations on the joint production of Antonov-148 and Antonov-158 passenger planes have reached the final stages and we hope that its operational grounds will be paved by the end of the (Iranian) month of Azar (late December)," he said.
The Iranian Defense Ministry has been manufacturing a licensed version of the Antonov-148 since 2009 named IRAN-140.
The first IRAN-140 aircraft was introduced by Iran in 2003. Five domestically-manufactured IRAN-140 planes were completed in October to increase the country's transportation capacity and upgrade the Iranian air force.
The new air vehicle with a seating capacity of 100 passengers will be the next generation of Iran-140 airplane.
After purchasing the production license for the Antonov-140 from Ukraine in 2000, Iran built its first Iran-140 passenger plane in 2003.
The first IRAN-140 aircraft was introduced by Iran in 2003. Five domestically-manufactured IRAN-140 planes were completed in October 2008 to increase the country's transportation capacity and upgrade the Iranian passenger fleet.
The IRAN-140 is a double-engine turboprop aircraft which can fly almost 1,865 miles before re-fuelling and its passenger model seats 52 people.
[video]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FTelqnWQ4Io[/video]
