Russia, Iran mulling joint production of passenger plane

Moscow and Tehran have a plan to 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 — try to boost their economic cooperation, a source close to the negotiations said.
The source told the Moscow Times that an intergovernmental commission, in a meeting in Tehran on Tuesday, discussed the plan of joint production of Tupolev Tu-204.  
A range of energy and nuclear power agreements were also 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.
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.
On Tuesday, Novak attended the 11th meeting of Iran-Russia Trade Council held in Tehran.
Iran-Russia trade currently totals $5bln a year, but economists say the two countries can multiple the volume of their trade exchanges.