Iran wants to go forward with S-300 contract with Russia

Azerbaijan, Baku, Aug. 14 /Trend S.Isayev, T. Jafarov/

Iran wants to go forward with the contract it has with Russia, regarding the S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems, Iran's FM spokesperson Ramin Mehmanparast said today at a weekly press conference in Tehran, PRESS TV reported.

Mehmanparast noted that this issue has been receiving unnecessary spotlight in the media, which does not reflect reality, and damages bilateral relations between Iran and Russia.

"There is a contract signed between Iran and Russia regarding S-300, and we are ready to fulfill it," Mehmanparast said.

Approximately two weeks ago Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Seyed Mahmoud Reza Sajjadi announced Tehran's readiness to withdraw its lawsuit against Russia if the latter delivers the complicated S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems to Iran, FNA reported.

"If the Russian officials agree to deliver the missiles to the Iranian side based on the signed contract between the two countries, Iran will withdraw its compliant," Sajjadi said in an interview with Russian Izvestia newspaper.

Under a contract signed in 2007, Russia was required to provide Iran with at least five S-300 air-defense systems. However, Moscow's continued delays in delivering the defense system drew criticism from the Islamic Republic on several occasions.

Russia has been refusing to deliver the system to Iran under the pretext that the system is covered by the fourth round of UN Security Council resolutions against Iran.

Then-President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree prohibiting the sale of Russian weapons, including S-300s, to Iran in 2010 after the United Nations imposed sanctions against the Islamic republic.

Iran dismissed Russia's justification that the ban on the delivery of the S-300 missile system to Iran was in line with the (US-engineered) UN Security Council Resolution 1929, and stated that this is an air defense system which is not included in Resolution 1929.

Iran then sued Russia for breach of the contract and made Moscow return its advance payment along with its interest fees in May.

Due to the export ban on S-300 exports to Iran, Russia lost about $1 billion dollars.

After Russia annulled the S-300 contract, Iran started making the advanced system domestically. Tehran's defense officials have announced that the early versions of the system will be unveiled as soon as next year.

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