TEHRAN, December 26 (RIA Novosti) - Iran signed a contract with Russia on Tuesday on the delivery of advanced S-300 air defense missile systems to the Islamic Republic, an Iranian news agency reported on Wednesday.

An advanced version of S-300, called S-300PMU1 (SA-20 Gargoyle), the missile system 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.

"S-300 air defense systems will be delivered to Iran under an earlier contract signed with Russia," the Fars news agency quoted Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar as saying.

The minister provided no contract details or a schedule for future deliveries, Fars said.

The signing of the deal follows last week's session of the Russian-Iranian commission on military-technical cooperation in Tehran, where the sides reviewed existing agreements and discussed future steps to extend cooperation in the military sphere.

The closest western equivalent of S-300 is the U.S. MIM-104 Patriot system or the U.S. Navy RIM-66 Standard Missile 2 (SM-2).

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 also said deliveries of Russian weapons were aimed exclusively at increasing the defense capability of the countries receiving them, and at maintaining their stability.

Russia earlier supplied Iran with 29 Tor-M1 air defense systems under a $700-million contract signed in late 2005.

In February, Tehran successfully tested Tor-M1s during a military exercise by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps in southern Iran.

The Iranian defense minister said on Wednesday that during last week's meeting Russian and Iranian officials had discussed the possibility of using Russian experts to train the crews of Iranian Tor-M1 systems.

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Iran’s defense minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said Wednesday that Russia is to supply the country with new S-300 air defense systems.

The step will likely be considered as a sign of growing cooperation between two nations.

Najjar said “The S-300 air defense system will be delivered to Iran on the basis of a contract signed with Russia in the past.”

No numbers or dates were concretized, the AP reports.

Russia delivered 29 TOR-M1 air defense missile systems to Iran under a US$700 million (EUR540 million) contract signed in December 2005 earlier this year.

The West will likely get concerned with such turn as it was not the only sign that Russia will not approve its sanctions against the Muslim country.

Russia’s AtomStroyExport Corporation started the fuel delivery for the first reactor of Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran, Pravda.ru previously reported. Russian specialists are building it in Iran under the control of the IAEA.

Thus, Iran can be quite sure that Bushehr nuclear power plant would be provided with nuclear fuel enough for normal operation of the plant, Russian officials say.

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Iran-Russia-Military
A leading Russian daily referring to ongoing visit of a Russian technical and military experts delegation to Tehran, wrote here Friday Russia's cooperation with Iran in those fields would continue.

Vermia Novosti daily also referred to the convening of the 4th Meeting of Iran-Russia Technical-Military Cooperation Commission in Tehran in its front page, adding, "At that meeting the major issue would be military cooperation between the two countries."
According to the Russian daily, the head of Russia's Technical and Military Cooperation Organization, Michael Dimitriev has said before leaving for Tehran that the priorities in Tehran meeting would be focusing on air defense and aviation tracking systems.

He reiterated, "Iran is not a rouge state as Washington and Tel Aviv try hard to convince the world nations that it is, and Moscow has road military and technical cooperation with Tehran."
Russia delivered a complete set of its Tour-M1 air defense system worth 700 million dollars to Iran last year.

The Russian daily further quoted Dimitriev in its Friday edition report as saying, "There are some alterations to be made regarding the delivered Tour-M1 set to Iran, the details of which would be discussed with Iranian military officials in Tehran."
According to this Russian official, the Iranian military staff that would work with this system would be trained for working with the advanced air defense equipment.

Dimitriev also announced that a team of Russian military technicians would be stationed in Iran to set up and put to use the Tour-M1 system in our country, in accordance with the terms and conditions of this military purchase.

The fourth meeting of Iran-Russia Technical-Military Commission was opened in Tehran on Thursday.

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MOSCOW (AFP)--Moscow and Tehran are in negotiations for the sale of fighter jet engines and helicopters to Iran, the Kommersant daily reports Monday, citing Russian arms industry officials.

Iran wants to buy RD-33 engines for a fleet of new Iranian fighter jets, as well as an upgraded version of the Ka-32 helicopter that Tehran wants to be assembled in Iran, Kommersant says.

After a meeting between Russian and Iranian officials in Tehran last week, the head of Russia's agency for military cooperation said any arms sold to Iran would be only for "defensive" purposes, Kommersant reports.

The military cooperation chief, Mikhail Dmitriev, said defense ties between the two countries "reinforces stability in the region."

Last year, Russia finished supplying Iran with 29 Tor-M1 air defense systems under a $700 million agreement.

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These are very interesting news. Until today i never saw any official statment about S-300 in Iran or going to Iran.

Like the announce before of the supply of TOR-M1 defense system, it came in a bit of surprise and a fast delivery, i wonder if the same will happen with the S-300 system.

Iran needs a system like this one, and US is making a lot of pressure, for Iran not receiving the system. Very bad news for anyone thinking entering Iran airspace with some targets in mind.

I would like to call your attention for the Russian military technicians that are going to be stationed to assist TOR-M1 systems. if they are going to receive the S-300 system, this technicians could be there for a lot more...

Nevetheless, i would like to see some official statment from Russia, confirming this. I consider such supply with so many political envolvment that i'm not sure if this is really true, or if this is some kind of pressure regarding the US ABM system in Europe.

But as things are going today, it will probably be true, and if this is true, Bush have another nightmare, called S-300 in Iran.

Comments by FromPortugal