Despite Russian Offer, Iran Has No Plans to Buy S-400: DM
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said the country is not going to purchase Russian-made S-400 air defense missile system though Moscow has offered to sell it to Iran.
Speaking at a press conference in Tehran on Saturday morning, the defense minister said Russia has offered Iran “S-400 and some other systems”, but Tehran has no plans to get them.
As regards the S-300 system, which Moscow had undertaken to sell to Tehran under a 2007 contract, Dehqan said Iran has voluntarily terminated a lawsuit against Russia after the delivery of the missile system to Iran began.
However, he added, Iran preserves the right to legally pursue the case if the full implementation of the deal hits into any snag.
Iran has received the bulk of the S-300 missile system, the minister noted, adding that the remaining parts are expected to be delivered within a month.
Asked about the permission given to Russian warplanes to use an Iranian airbase, Brigadier General Dehqan described that as part of strategic cooperation between Tehran and Moscow endorsed by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
The Russian aircraft fly to the Iranian airbase to be either refueled or get reloaded, the minister explained, saying that they use the base for more effective operation against terrorist groups in Syria.
Dehqan further ruled out any plans for permitting Russian jets to use Iranian bases other than the Nojeh airbase at the moment, but noted that they can keep using the Nojeh airbase as long as necessary.
Syria has been gripped by civil war since March 2011 with various terrorist groups, including Daesh (also known as ISIS or ISIL), currently controlling parts of it.
Meanwhile, Russia’s aerial support for the Syrian forces since September 2015 has given fresh impetus to the fight against the foreign-backed terrorists.
Iran has also remained a close ally of Syria and supports its legitimate government in the face of militancy.
