Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company HESA in Shahin Shahr aircraft plant on announced plans to begin development of An-140 light cargo planes. The Antonov Ir.An-140T is a light military transport aircraft developed on the basis of the An-140-100 turboprop airliner. The Ir.An-140T features a rear ramp for loading/unloading of cargo and personnel.

Earlier Russia has abandoned plans to build a large fleet of Antonov An-140T tactical airlifters as replacements for aging An-26s and An-72s, thanks to deteriorating relations with the new regime in Ukraine, where Antonov is based. Instead, the Russian defense ministry has revived the Ilyushin Il-112 project, a development of the Il-114 airliner, even though it was shelved in 2010 in favor of the less expensive An-140T.

In Iran, the project received a new impetus. The IrAn-140 is a license-built version of the An-140, assembled by HESA in Shahin Shahr, Iran, from complete knock-down kits supplied by Antonov. As of 2008, 13 aircraft per year were planned to be constructed. There were plans to produce maritime patrol (IrAn-140MP) and freighter (IrAn-140T) versions. 100 aircraft in total were planned to be build; 20 of them were to be acquired by the Iranian government for border patrol and surveillance.