An Iranian envoy says Tehran will drop its lawsuit with the International Court of Arbitration in Geneva against Russia if Moscow honors its contract in delivering S-300 air defense systems to Iran, reported PressTV.
If Iran sees that Russia has changed its position on the delivery of S-300 missile systems, the Islamic Republic will also "change its conduct," Iran's Ambassador to Moscow Mahmoud-Reza Sajjadi told Interfax News Agency.
He said that Iran resorted to judicial prosecution after Russia refused to deliver the systems to the Islamic Republic according to the stipulations of a previously signed contract. Russia refused to deliver the systems under the pretext that they were covered in the UN Security Council sanctions against Tehran.
"Under the contract, if either party fails to abide by the obligations assumed, the other party will have the right to turn to court," Sajjadi said.
The Iranian ambassador's remarks came after Russian Technologies (Rostech) CEO Sergei Chemezov said on May 30 that Moscow seeks to reach a settlement with Tehran to withdraw its lawsuit against Russia's state-run arms export company Rosoboronexport over the canceled deal as Russia's chances "to win the case are very slim."
Chemezov said that the US had applied heavy pressure on Moscow to stop the agreement under the pretext that the deal was against the UNSC sanctions. The Russian official, added, however, that Washington later changed its rhetoric, saying the UN resolution did not specifically mention the S-300 system and claiming that Russia had acted on its own.
Under a contract signed in 2007, Russia was required to provide Iran with at least five S-300 defense systems.
Russia, however, refused to deliver the systems to Iran under the pretext that they are covered by the fourth round of the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions against Iran.
In September 2010, then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree banning the delivery of the defense systems to the Islamic Republic.
Iran has filed a complaint against Rosoboronexport in the International Court of Arbitration in Geneva.