Russia is not negotiating deliveries of S-300 air defense
missile systems to Iran despite media reports, the Federal Service
for Military-Technical Cooperation said in a statement Friday.
"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
statement published on its website said.
"Civilized interaction in the military and technical area, which
fully complies with the requirements of the rules which govern
international exports and international obligations, has continued
between Russia and Iran," the statement said.
Iran's Fars news agency Wednesday quoted the country's Defense
Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar as saying that Tehran signed a
contract with Russia on Tuesday for the delivery of advanced S-300
air defense missile systems to the Islamic Republic.
But the minister provided no details of the deal or any timeline
for delivery of the system.
Russia's deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov told
reporters Thursday that Russia supports normal relations with Iran
and is assisting Iran in strengthening the country's air defense
systems.
"I know we are assisting in work to reinforce Iran's air defense
systems," Losyukov was quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency as
saying.
Air defense and radar systems are the priority directions in
Russian-Iranian military cooperation, director of the federal
service for military-technological cooperation, Mikhail Dmitriyev
told the Itar-Tass news agency last week.
Dmitriyev said the military cooperation between Russia and Iran
strengthens stability in the region.
The advanced version of the S-300 missile system, called
S-300PMU1 (SA-20 Gargoyle), has a range of over 150 km 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.
Moscow earlier supplied Iran with 29 Tor-M1 air defense missile
systems under a 700-million-dollar contract signed in late 2005.
Russia has also trained Iranian Tor-M1 specialists, including radar
operators and crew commanders.
(Xinhua News Agency December 29, 2007)
