[R-G] Russia Denies Talks with Iran on S-300 Deliveries

[Yoshie Furuhashi]

Oh well.  I hope that the Russians will change their mind again. -- Yoshie

<http://en.rian.ru/russia/20071228/94513968.html>
Russia denies talks with Iran on S-300 deliveries

28/12/2007 13:06 MOSCOW, December 28 (RIA Novosti) - Russia is not
negotiating deliveries of S-300 air defense systems to Iran despite
certain media rumors, the Federal Service for Military-Technical
Cooperation said Friday.

Media reports earlier cited Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad
Najjar as saying that Iran and Russia had agreed to deliver an
unspecified number of advanced S-300 air defense complexes to the
Islamic Republic under a previously signed contract.

"The issue of the delivery of S-300 air defense missile systems to
Iran, raised by the media, is not a subject of current negotiations
and has not been discussed with the Iranians," the agency said in a
statement on its website.

"Russia and Iran are continuing to develop cooperation in the
military-technical sphere in full accordance with international arms
export regulations and obligations," the statement said.

The advanced version of the S-300 missile system, called S-300PMU1
(SA-20 Gargoyle), has a range of over 150 kilometers (about 100 miles)
and can intercept ballistic missiles and aircraft at low and high
altitudes, making this system an effective tool for warding off
possible air strikes on Iran.

U.S. authorities have repeatedly called on Russia to stop arms
deliveries to countries whose political regimes Washington disapproves
of, including Iran.

However, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in October that Russia
would not take into consideration attempts to impose arms deal
restrictions "based on unilateral and politicized assessments". He
said deliveries of Russian weapons were aimed exclusively at
increasing the defense capability of the countries receiving them, and
at maintaining their stability.

Moscow supplied Iran with 29 Tor-M1 air defense missile systems in
late January under a $700-million contract signed in late 2005. Russia
has also trained Iranian Tor-M1 specialists, including radar operators
and crew commanders.
--
Yoshie
<http://montages.blogspot.com/>