Iran Still Counts on Russian S-300 Delivery - MP

The issue of Russian S-300 air-defense system delivery to Iran could still be resolved, an Iranian lawmaker said on Friday.

Mohammad-Reza Mohseni-Sani said he hoped Moscow will finally fulfill its contractual obligation by delivering the system to Tehran and that Iran expects Russia will not support “unjust” UN Security Council sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

The delivery of S-300 surface-to-air missile systems to Iran is not against the UN sanctions imposed on the country, he added.

“Moscow must maintain its independence from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization,” Mohseni-Sani was quoted by Press TV as saying.

He suggested that Russia’s refusal to deliver the S-300 system under the pretext that it would contravene the UN Security Council resolutions against Iran as a tactical move that could not “be an obstacle to the strong relations between the two countries [Russia and Iran].”

The $800-million contract to supply Iran with the missile system was signed in late 2007. Russia was to deliver five S-300PMU-1 battalions to Tehran. However, in September, 2010, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree terminating the contract in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1929, which bans supply to Iran of conventional weapons including missiles and missile systems, tanks, attack helicopters, warplanes and ships.


Source: Moscow, 13 July 2012 (RIA Novosti)

Photo: The Iran Forces S-300 Air-Defense System (Photo © RIA Novosti. Yury Shipilov)

(7/13/2012)