Russia offered to sell surface-to-air missile systems to protect Iran's
nuclear facilities

MOSCOW [MENL] -- Russia, pledging to complete the Busheher reactor, has
offered to sell a range of surface-to-air missile systems to protect Iran's
nuclear facilities.

Russian diplomatic and industry sources said Moscow has been negotiating to
sell Iran a range of anti-aircraft systems to protect Bushehr from Israeli
or U.S. air strikes. The sources said contracts could be signed when Bushehr
was ready to begin operations in a move expected to take place in late 2007.

"Russia has already installed and manned SAM systems around Bushehr," a
diplomatic source said. "The current talks regard an air defense umbrella
that would protect all strategic sites in Iran."

In November 2005, Russia reached agreement for the sale of 29 TOR-M1
short-range anti-aircraft systems to Iran in a deal valued at more than $700
million. The sources said Iran has also sought the strategic S-300PMU SAM
system, capable of detecting and intercepting enemy aircraft at a distance
of 300 and 150 kilometers, respectively.
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