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by jgambino | Wed, 2010-02-17 17:40
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Russia, S-300 Anti-Aircraft System

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In 2007, Russia agreed to sell Iran five of the sophisticated S-300 anti-air missile systems. The contract is estimated to be worth $800 million. Despite criticism, Russia has repeatedly insisted the deal would proceed as planned.
Following the visit of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in February of 2010 , Russia delayed delivery of the weapons system due to technical problems. Russian foreign ministry officials have said that they would honor the agreement, although gave no immediate timetable. In April of 2010, Russia announced that it was committed to fulfilling its contract with Iran to supply the S-300 system. In May of that same year, a senior Russian lawmaker stated that UN sanctions would not prevent Russia from delivering the S-300 system to Iran despite the text of the resolution prohibiting the supply of defensive weapons to the Islamic Republic.
In June of 2010, though Russia originally reiterated that UN sanctions did not cover the S-300 system, it recently announced that it would freeze its sale of the anti-aircraft system to Iran to comply with the recent Security Council sanctions.
Due to the cancelation of the S-300 system, Iran has threatened to cut off billions of dollars worth of defense contracts with Russia including a $1.5 billion contract to modernize Iranian T-72 tanks, Sukhoi Su-24 ground attack jets and MiG-29 interceptors. 

 Backpedaling from this stance, Sergei Chemezov, the chief of Russia's military conglomerate Rostekhnologii said in mid July of 2010 that the S-300 contract had not been canceled and that only President Dimitri Medvedev could order the cancelation of the contract.

 

Status

  • Current Status:
  • Discussion Date:
  • Contract Date:
  • Completion Date:

Citation

1. "Russia Selling Iran Sophisticated New Air Defense System", Fox News, 2 December 2007, available at http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,318452,00.html.

2. "Moscow signs deal to sell S-300 air defense systems to Iran", Pravda, 18 March 2009, available at http://english.pravda.ru/russia/kremlin/18-03-2009/107253-air_defense_Ir....

3. "Lavrov: Delivering S-300 missiles to Iran in place", Tehran Times, 27 February 2010, available at http://www.tehrantimes.com/Index_view.asp?code=214956.

3. "Russia delays delivery of S-300 advanced air defence missiles to Iran", The Times, 17 February 2010, available at http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article7031284.ece.

4. "S-300 delivery delayed", Jerusalem Post, 17 February 20110, available at http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/News/Article.aspx?id=168934.

5. "Official: Moscow Committed to Delivery of S-300 Missiles to Iran", Fars News, 8 April 2010, available at http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8901190547

6. "Russia's delivery of S-300 missiles to Iran not hit by US sanctions", RIA Novosti, May 21, 2010, available at http://en.rian.ru/russia/20100521/159102912.html

7. "Russia to freeze Iran missile contract after UN vote", Ynet News, June 10, 2010, available at http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3903190,00.html

8. "Russia says S-300 contract unaffected by sanctions on Iran", Xinhua, June 10, 2010, available at http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-06/10/c_13344070.htm

9. "Russia cancels S-300 delivery to Iran", PressTV, June 17, 2010, available at http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=130958&sectionid=351020101

10. "'Big losses' if Russia halts Iran's S-300's", UPI, July 2, 2010, available at http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2010/07/02/Big-losses...

11. “Russia: S-300 deal with Iran not off”, PressTV, July 15, 2010, available at http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=134890&sectionid=351020101

All projects by Almaz Scientific Industrial Corporation