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Iran obtains S-300

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  • Iran obtains S-300

    Haaretz reports:
    Iran official: We have obtained the S-300 missile system

    Fars news agency says Tehran signs deal with Belarus after Russia reportedly refused to provide Iran with the surface-to-air system over recent UN sanctions.
    By The Associated Press and Haaretz Service

    A semiofficial Iranian news agency says Iran has obtained four S-300 surface-to-air missiles despite Russia's refusal to deliver them.

    The Fars news agency said Wednesday that Iran has obtained two missiles from Belarus and two others from another unspecified source.

    Russia signed a contract in 2007 to sell the missiles to Iran but said in June that new UN Security Council sanctions against Tehran prevent delivery. The sale would have substantially boosted the country's defense capacities, raising Israeli fears it would tip the military balance in the Middle East.

    In June, a senior Iranian official said that that if Russia persisted in its refusal "to deliver the systems, we are well capable of producing missile defense systems that are very much similar to Russia's S-300 apparatus."

    Since the recently approved UN sanctions resolution against Iran, Russia has released several contradicting reports regarding it missile deal with Iran.

    The senior Iranian official added that if Russia eventually refused "to deliver the systems, we are well capable of producing missile defense systems that are very much similar to Russia's S-300 apparatus."

    Since the UN sanctions resolution against Iran was approved last Wednesday, Russia has released several contradicting reports regarding it missle deal with Iran. Russia said on Thursday it was in discussions with Iran on possible new nuclear power plants in the Islamic state, the country's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters


    Israel and the United States have asked Russia not to deliver the missile systems, which can shoot down several aircraft or missiles simultaneously and could potentially be used to protect nuclear facilities.

    Western diplomats in Moscow believe Russia is eager to keep the deal in reserve as a bargaining chip. Iran has expressed increasing frustration over the unfulfilled contract.
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    Is this the reason Iran has currently been claiming that they will be manufacturing the S300 themselves?

  • #2
    On the other hand...
    The Belarusian government denied on Wednesday rumors that Minsk had allegedly sold S-300 air defense systems to Iran.

    The Associated Press earlier cited the Iranian semi-official news agency Fars as saying that Iran had acquired two S-300PT (SA-10 Grumble) systems from Belarus and two more systems from an unidentified supplier. Iranian officials have not confirmed the fact so far.

    "The State Military-Industrial Committee can officially state that Belarus has never held talks with Iran on the deliveries of the S-300 air defense systems," committee's spokesman Vladimir Lavrenyuk told RIA Novosti.

    "Belarus has never supplied S-300 systems or their components to Iran," he said, adding that Minsk strictly complied with international arms control regulations.

    Jane's Defense Systems News reported as far back as in January 2008 that Tehran was in the final stages of negotiations with Belarus for the acquisition of two surplus trailer-mounted towed S-300PT systems.

    These outdated systems were deployed near Minsk and Belarus allegedly asked $140 mln for the two systems (including parts, maintenance and training).

    The actual sale has never been confirmed. Belarus has no right to resell air defense systems supplied by the Soviet Union and later the Russian Federation.

    Russia signed a contract on supplying Iran with at least five S-300 systems in December 2005, but the contract's implementation has so far been delayed.

    On June 9, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1929 imposing a fourth set of sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, including tougher financial controls and an expanded arms embargo.

    The sale of S-300 air defense systems is believed to fall under the sanctions, though earlier Russia said the delivery would not be affected since the weapons are not included in the UN Register of Conventional Arms.

    The S-300 PT is capable of shooting down aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missile warheads at ranges of over 90 miles (144 kilometers) and at altitudes of about 90,000 feet (27,432 meters).
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