TEHRAN --The Russian Technoprom Export Company, one of the greatest manufacturers of power plants in the world, declared its readiness to build new thermal power plants in Iran, the Iranian Central News Bureau reported from Moscow on Tuesday.

In an interview with the Russian Interfax news agency, the company's spokesman said: "During the past three years this company has undertaken the necessary research and design work on four 35 megawatt power plants to be built in Tabas and Ramin. It has also laid two blocks on the site of the Shahid Mohammad Montazeri Power Plant to symbolize the start of the construction operation.

The spokesman further said that at the moment the 10-year cooperation program with Iran has been officially made known to the pertinent Russian executive organizations and the company has asked the Russian government for loans to carry out the project.

In accordance with the project's timetable, in the next ten years the company will be able to build 15 new power plants for Iran.