Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 10 / Trend E.Kosolapova /
Iran has no legal grounds to apply to the International Court of Arbitration to demand Russia to pay a penalty, because broke a contract on supply anti-aircraft missiles S-300 to Tehran in line with UN sanctions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Profile journal, Ria Novosti reported.
The minister said Tehran does not have any ground, because the pre-payment has been returned.
"We believe that this issue should be closed and no more discussed," Lavrov stressed.
A contract on air defense S-300 supplies to Iran was signed in late 2007. Russia was to supply five battalions of anti-aircraft missile system S-300 PMU-1 with an overall cost of approximately $800 million.
However, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a September 22 decree on measures to implement the fourth UN Security Council resolution on sanctions against Iran (1929, dated June 9, 2010). The decree prohibits the transfer of S-300 armored vehicles, combat aircraft, helicopters and ships to Iran.
Iran has appealed to the International Court of Arbitration over Russia's refusal to implement a contract for the supply of the S-300 systems to Iran.
In this regard, the Iranian officials threatened Russia of appealing to court due to canceling the contract. However, Sergey Chemezo v, Director General of Russian Technologies , said Russia would pay to Iran only the prepayment for the S-300, but no other compensation for halting the contract.
Moscow returned to Tehran the prepayment in the amount $167 million.
Russian anti-aircraft missile system of medium-range S-300 is considered one of the most effective defense means for all kinds of facilities, military bases and command posts from the blows with of all kinds of missiles, including ballistic, and other means of air and space attack.