By banning the sale of S-300 air defense missile systems to Tehran, Moscow will lose not only money, but face, a representative of Russia’s military-industrial complex said on Tuesday.
It will be another 15 years before Russia regains the trust of potential customers in the Persian Gulf region, the highly-placed representative, who insisted on anonymity, told the Russian Agency of Legal and Court Information (RAPSI).
“Iran will continue to buy weapons all the same, regardless of Russia’s position,” he said, naming Beijing as Tehran’s future principle supplier.
Russia should have fulfilled its obligations under the contract, he said.
“Besides, the money that Russia will lose could have helped the domestic military sector, especially in the post-crisis conditions,” he added.
The Kremlin banned the sale of S-300s and other arms to Iran in September, saying they were covered by the fourth round of sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council against Iran over its nuclear program in June.
Russia signed the deal to deliver S-300s to Iran in 2007.
Russia will pay back Iran’s $166.8 million initial payment on the contract, Sergei Chemezov, head of Russia’s state weapons exporter, said last week.
The Iranian defense minister said in September that the ban was “illogical” and proof that Russia “cannot act independently.”
MOSCOW, October 12 (RIA Novosti)
