Russia Modernizing S-300 Missile System for Iran: Report
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Russia is currently modernizing the S-300 missile defense system for Iran and hopes it will able to deliver the system to Tehran, the head of Russia’s largest arms exporters said Tuesday.
“The completion of the contract on the S-300 missile system for Iran was suspended and we’ve been given the order to renew work and as the executors, we are doing this, but much time has gone by and the S-300 system has changed so we’re working on the modernization of the system,” Rosoboronexport General Director Anatoly Isaikin told journalists.
Isaikin said that he was sure the contract would now be honored, Sputnik news reported.
“The result will be positive, there are currently no conditions that would hamper the contract from being fulfilled,” Isaikin said.
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 this year to lift the ban on the S-300 missile system delivery to Iran.
According to the Russian official, Iran will retract its $4-billion suit against Russia over S-300 missile systems that were not delivered earlier. “We have agreed with Iran on retracting the suit,” Isaikin added.