New Iranian helicopter takes off

The Iranian army says it has successfully tested the country's first cargo helicopter - entirely designed and built in Iran.

Iranian state radio quoted the defence minister, Ali Shamkhani, as saying the test flight showed that Iran was approaching the point where the country would be self-sufficient in terms of its helicopter needs -- both for the armed forces and for non-military purposes.

The new aircraft has been designed for civilian transport and military logistics missions, and will be used for relief work in areas hit by flood or earthquakes.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service