Baku has expressed interest in the new Russian MC-21 passenger jets. The first contract might be inked next year.

Azerbaijan is interested in purchasing Russian MC-21 passenger jets, the first contract to purchase 10 planes may be signed in 2017, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Monday.

"Azerbaijan is interested in purchasing Russian MC-21 planes, and after the first flight of the plane, we expect that it will happen at the end of this year or at the beginning of 2017, in February, we aim to sign the contract for at least 10 MC-21s," Rogozin told journalists.

The MC-21 is a twin-engine short-and mid-range airliner with a capacity of 150-212 passengers. The presentation of the aircraft took place earlier in June in the Russian city of Irkutsk.

Azerbaijan will set up an aircraft assembly plant in its capital Baku to make planes from Russian-made parts and units, Rogozin said.

"There is a significant interest regarding the supply of Russian-made parts and units for planes to be assembled in Azerbaijan. An aircraft assembly plant will open in Baku."

A helicopter upgrading center will also be set up in the Azerbaijani capital, he added.

The leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran met in Baku earlier in the day, discussing a wide range of multilateral cooperation issues, particularly in trade, banking, energy and transport. Pressing international issues were also discussed.