ID :
372394
Thu, 06/25/2015 - 11:50
Auther :

Time frame for S-300 deliveries to Iran to depend on Russia defence sector - security council

ULAN-UDE, June 25. /TASS/. Time frame for deliveries of the S-300 air defence systems to Iran will depend on operational efficiency of the Russian defence plants among other factors, Russian Security Council’s Deputy Secretary Yevgeny Lukyanov told reporters. "I cannot give you the deadline," Lukyanov said. "A manufacturing cycle needed for production of these items is very important now." "These systems are not manufactured in advance," he said. "It’s piece-work. It cannot be done in a day or even in a month." In November 2003 Iran made public its interest in receiving S-300 air defence systems from Russia when media reports said that Teheran was viewing a possibility to use them for protection of the Bushehr nuclear power plant. On December 26, 2007 the country’s Defence Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said that Iran had signed a contract with the main Russian state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport on supplies of at least five S-300 PMU-1 divisions. On June 9, 2010 the UN Security Council approved resolution 1929 imposing sanctions on Iran, including a ban on import of missiles and missile systems into the country. In line with the UN SC resolution, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree implementing this resolution. In 2011 Iran challenged that S-300 deliveries were subject to the UN sanctions, saying the deal had been sealed before the sanctions entered into force, and then filed a lawsuit against Rosoboronexport. Russia paid back to Iran the $166.8-million advance payment for the failed deal. On February 10, 2015 Iran’s Ambassador to Moscow Mehdi Sanai said that Iran thought the contract still valid and that the country hoped to acquire S-300 or even more upgraded systems. On April 13, 2015 Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to lift the ban from supplies of S-300 defence systems to Iran. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the decision was made "in the interests of support for consolidated efforts of the six international negotiators to stimulate a maximally constructive process of talks on settlement of the situation around Iran's nuclear program." "S-300 is an air defence missile system, which is of a purely defensive nature. It is not designed for attacks and will not put at risk the security of any regional state, including Israel, of course," Lavrov said. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said that at present the contract signed in 2007 was being finalised. Israel slammed on Moscow’s decision to remove the embargo on supplies of the air defence complexes to Iran. The U.S. Department of State noted that probable supplies would not violate sanctions imposed by the UN SC on Iran but underscored its concern about the deal in the context of Iran’s activities in the region. Read more

X