Russian and Iranian companies held talks on joint car production, the latest sign of an attempt at industrial cooperation between the two countries as they try to deal with foreign sanctions.
Russia’s economy has been hit by sweeping sanctions this year after its invasion of Ukraine in February, while Iran has many years of enjoying industrial restrictions due to foreign considerations over its nuclear program and other activities.
Evidence of close cooperation between the two countries has developed in the military’s box this year, with Iran accused through the US. The U. S. and others supply drone cargoes to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine. Iran has admitted to offering a small amount before the war began.
However, Iranian officials have been more willing to acknowledge the development of ties in other areas.
Iran’s ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali said in Moscow this week that the two countries held talks on joint car production, with Iran’s two largest automakers, Iran Khodro and Saipa, involved in the talks.
The Russian automotive sector has been mainly affected by foreign sanctions, with portion imports disrupted. Iranian media reported that Russian corporations this year inquired about the source of spare portions for their cars in Iran. It seems that those discussions have now progressed towards Iranian corporations assisting in large-scale production.
Cooperation in car production is just one of many areas of activity in which the two countries are getting closer.
On Monday, Russian state bank VTB announced it would begin offering cross-border cash movements between Russia and Iran.
In July, the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and Russian energy giant Gazprom signed a memorandum worth an estimated $40 billion to expand oil and fuel fields in Iran and work on a liquefied herb fuel (LNG) project.
This week, Iranian Energy Minister Ali Akbar Mehrabian stopped in Russia to discuss deeper cooperation with his counterpart in Moscow.
Less than a week ago, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade Manochehr Manteghi said there had been talks with Russia on joint aircraft production.
Manteghi made the comments at the opening of Iran’s 11th International Aerospace and Air Exhibition, which was held Dec. 13-16 on Gulf Kish Island. -airplane seat.
It is unclear whether this replaces plans announced in the past to produce passenger jets locally in Iran.
In June, President Ebrahim Raisi ordered the Industrial Aircraft Manufacturing Company of Iran (Hesa) to produce a passenger jet with at least 72 seats “in the near future. “
There have been other recent efforts to manufacture passenger aircraft in the country that have progressed. In early 2021, the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran (CAO) said there were plans to produce a 100-seat passenger jet.
Under a previous program dating back to 2017, Iran’s Aviation Technology Development Headquarters (IATDH) was tasked with creating a 72-seat aircraft that would be in condition until 2021.