Envoy: Russia Assures Iran of S-300 Delivery
News number: 881116066915:54 | 2010-02-05Defence
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8811160669

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Mahmoud Reza Sajjadi announced
that the Russian officials have assured him they will honor the contract to
deliver the sophisticated anti-aircraft S-300 missile system to Iran.

"Iran is ready to receive this system and our Russian colleagues have
assured us that they will meet their obligations," Sajjadi said at a press
conference at the main office of RIA Novosti in Moscow on Thursday.

Earlier last week, the head of Russia's state-run arms exporter
Rosoboronexpor, Anatoly Isaikin, stressed his country's commitment to
continue military cooperation with Iran.

"Nothing prevents the continuation of military cooperation in those
directions of interest to Russia and Iran," Isaikin added.

"Iran has never violated a single commitment it has undertaken with regards
to military contracts," he reiterated.

Isaikin also stressed that Russia would not back down on a deal to sell the
sophisticated S-300 anti-aircraft missile system to Iran.

Tehran has been seeking to purchase the sophisticated defense system to
improve its deterrence power in reaction to Israeli war rhetoric against
Iran's nuclear facilities.

Moscow signed a contract with Tehran in 2007 to supply the powerful S-300
missiles to Iran.

The S-300 surface-to-air system, known as the SA-20 in the West, can track
targets and fire at aircraft 120 kilometers (75 miles) away. It also
features high jamming immunity and is capable of simultaneously engaging up
to 100 targets.

Israeli and US officials have strongly urged Russia not to supply Iran with
the missiles as they allege Tehran has military objectives in its nuclear
enrichment program.

Tehran, however, says the only aim of its nuclear program is the civilian
applications of the technology. Iran says that it has no use for such
weapons as it considers them 'obsolete'.