Chief of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Ali-Akbar Salehi makes a speech during a ceremony to take delivery of locally produced yellowcake, a uranium concentrate powder, at the UCF plant in Isfahan 414 kilometres (257 miles) south of Tehran December 5, 2010. – Reuters Photo

TEHRAN: An Iranian air force attack helicopter crashed on Monday south of Isfahan in central Iran, killing the pilot and co-pilot, the official IRNA news agency reported.

“A military helicopter, Cobra 209, crashed in Baherestan area, south of Isfahan,” killing the two crew, said Mohammad Mehdi Esmaeeli, deputy governor general of Isfahan province, quoted by IRNA.

He said the crash of the helicopter, built by American manufacturer Bell, was due to a “technical fault” and an investigation team has been sent to the scene.

Iran, under US sanctions which deny it access to American spare parts, has suffered several aviation disasters over the past decade because of its aging fleet and lack of maintenance.