MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia will soon deliver S-300 air defense systems to Iran, Russian Special Presidential Envoy on Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov said.
Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan earlier said that the first shipment of Russian S-300s would be made in the first quarter of 2016.
Tehran has shown interest in the deliveries of Russian S-400 air defense systems but the two countries are not currently holding any negotiations on the topic, Kabulov said.
“No, there are no talks being held on the S-400. The Iranians have noted that they would principally be happy [to receive them], but there haven’t been any negotiations,” Kabulov told RIA Novosti.
A number of news outlets earlier cited Hossein Dehghan as saying that Tehran could purchase the S-400s from Moscow if necessary and that the issue was apparently being discussed.
In 2007, Moscow and Tehran signed an $800-million deal for the delivery of five S-300 missile systems to Iran. In 2010, Russia suspended the contract, citing a UN Security Council resolution that placed an arms embargo on Tehran until it proved the peaceful nature of its nuclear project. Tehran filed a lawsuit against Moscow over the incident.
In April, Moscow repealed the S-300 delivery ban, after Iran and six global powers, including Russia, reached a framework nuclear agreement to remove the anti-Tehran sanctions in exchange for guarantees of the peaceful nature of its nuclear activities.
In mid-January, the International Atomic Energy Agency announced the conclusion of its investigation into Iran’s nuclear program, having found no indications of military-related nuclear developments in the country.
