Iran: Russia to Deliver S-300 Missiles on Schedule
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Defense Ministry announced on Monday that Russia is going to deliver the S-300 air defense missile system to Iran under an agreement signed between the two countries, quashing rumors about any change in the delivery process.
In a statement published on Monday, the Iranian Defense Ministry said reports about changes in how Russia will give Iran the missile system are incorrect and lack authenticity.
“The process of (Russia’s) delivery of the system (to Iran) is in the implementation stages according to the contract signed in the past,” the statement noted.
Under a contract signed in 2007, Russia was required to provide Iran with at least five S-300 defense system batteries.
In 2010, then-president Dmitry Medvedev cancelled the contract as he came under strong US and Israeli pressure not to go ahead with the sale of the weapons system, but his pretext was that the sale was covered by the fourth round of the UN Security Council sanctions against Iran.
Later, Iran lodged a $4 billion lawsuit at an international court in Geneva against Russia’s arms export agency which is now pending review.
However, Russian President Vladimir Putin decided in April to lift the ban on the S-300 missile system delivery to Iran.
