Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 11
By Umid Niayesh, Saeed Isayev - Trend:
Iran has rejected Russia's proposal to supply the Islamic Republic with S-300VM "Antey-2500" anti-ballistic missile system, instead of the promised S-300 system, IRINN Tv channel reported live on Dec. 11, quoting Iran's foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
Zarif made the remarks at the press conference, after meeting with Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, who arrived in Tehran late Tuesday on an official visit to discuss bilateral ties with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif and other senior Iranian officials.
"We have insisted on getting the S-300 system, and the negotiations on this issue still continue," Zarif said, answering a journalist's question.
A contract inked in 2007 requires Russia to provide Iran with at least five S-300 missile defense systems, according to Press TV.
However, Moscow refrained from meeting its obligations under the pretext that they were covered by the fourth round of the UN Security Council resolutions against Iran.
In September 2010, then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree banning the delivery of the S-300 systems to the Islamic Republic.
Russia's refusal to deliver the systems under the contract prompted Iran to file a complaint with the International Court of Arbitration in Geneva against the Russian arms firm Rosoboronexport.