Iran Denies Annulment of S-300 Missile Contract with Russia
News number: 890428113915:06 | 2010-07-19Defence
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8904281139

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran dismissed media reports that the contract on the delivery
of the sophisticated anti-aircraft S-300 missile system between Moscow and
Tehran has been canceled.

Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said that the deal
is not cancelled and Tehran is seriously following up on the issue through
negotiations.

Earlier on Friday, Russian officials had also announced that they are still
committed to the terms of a contract on the delivery of the sophisticated
anti-aircraft S-300 missile system to Iran.

A top Russian military official said the S-300 defense system deal with Iran
is pending the decision of President Dmitry Medvedev and has not been
cancelled yet.

"The contract on supplying S-300 air defense systems to Iran has not yet
been cancelled," Sergei Chemezov, the chief of Russia's military
conglomerate Rostekhnologii said.

"The final decision on signing or dropping the contract must be made by the
President."

Moscow signed a contract with Tehran in 2007 to supply the powerful S-300
missiles to Iran but it has refrained from delivering the system to the
county due to the US and Israeli pressures.

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.

Meantime, an Iranian top military commander had announced several months ago
that Tehran is able to replace the Russian-made anti-aircraft S-300 missiles
with other air defense systems.

"If they do not deliver S-300 defensive system to us, we have replacements
and we can supply our operational requirements through innovative techniques
and different designs," Deputy Commander of Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base
for Coordination General Hassan Mansourian said in November.