Pirhossein Kolivand signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Moscow. The memorandum covers 20 attack helicopter Mi-8/17-series helicopters. Iran and Russian Helicopters JSC say the purchase will expand rescue, firefighting, medevac and search-and-rescue capacity ahead of the Persian New Year in March 2027.
MoU Signed in Moscow
Iran’s Red Crescent Society and Russian Helicopters JSC formalized the agreement in Moscow when Pirhossein Kolivand and Nikolay Kolesov signed the MoU. The document covers 20 Mi-8/17-series helicopters and assigns mission fits that Iran’s Red Crescent Society described as night-vision systems, firefighting modules, medevac equipment and search-and-rescue configurations.
Iran Red Crescent Society Capabilities
Iran’s Red Crescent Society said the aircraft are intended to expand Tehran’s rotary-wing logistics and humanitarian aviation capability nationwide. The society tied the timetable to an operational deadline before the Persian New Year in March 2027, placing delivery and outfitting schedules at the centre of the agreement’s urgency for rescue and emergency-response units.
Russian Helicopters JSC Role
Reported February strikes damaged more than 81,000 civilian structures across Iran and destroyed or disabled at least three IRCS-operated helicopters, an event the memorandum follows. Russian Helicopters JSC previously concluded a separate 2024 contract reportedly worth approximately USD500 million for between 12 and 15 Mi-8/17-series helicopters configured for rescue and firefighting missions; the new 20-aircraft MoU increases the number of medium-lift rotorcraft tied to Iran’s emergency-response network.
Russian Helicopters JSC also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Iran’s Industrial Development and Renovation Organization on potential local assembly of Ka-226 or Ansat light helicopters, a parallel track that indicates an industrial and logistical element to the cooperation beyond pure procurement.
Iran’s Red Crescent Society framed the deal as a humanitarian modernization. At the same time, the agreement sits alongside broader Russia and Iran aerospace cooperation under conditions of regional instability and economic isolation, introducing a resilience dimension to what the society describes as mission-focused acquisitions.
Iran’s Red Crescent Society faces a short set of operational tasks now: integrate 20 Mi-8/17-series helicopters into existing fleets that already include dozens of Mi-17, Mi-171 and Mi-8MTV-series aircraft, install night-vision, firefighting and medevac kits, and schedule crew training and maintenance before March 2027. For emergency responders and regional logistics planners, the immediate actions are clear—prepare pilots and maintenance crews for medium-lift helicopter operations and prioritize configurations for firefighting and medevac missions.
The outstanding question is when the 20 helicopters will arrive and how this MoU will relate to the earlier 2024 purchase of between 12 and 15 Mi-8/17-series helicopters worth approximately USD500 million — a timing and contract-aggregation issue that will determine whether Iran’s additional rotary-wing capacity is additive or replaces elements of the prior deal.
