Russia may send S-300 missile system to Iran: report

MOSCOW - Agence France-Presse

A handout picture shows Iran's Defence Minister Hossein Dehqan (C) and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu (L) during the signing of an agreement in Tehran on January 20, 2015. AFP Photo

Russia might deliver a long-overdue S-300 air defence missile system to Iran, honouring a contract that was cancelled in 2010 following strong pressure from the West, Iranian and Russian media said on Jan. 20.
   
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu is visiting Tehran and signed an agreement with Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan to boost cooperation, Iran's Fars semi-official news agency said.
   
Fars said the two countries would resolve problems with the delivery of the advanced missile system, while Russia's RIA state news confirmed the issue was once again under discussion.
   
"A step was taken in the direction of cooperation on the economy and arms technology, at least for such defensive systems such as the S-300 and S-400. Probably we will deliver them," RIA quoted Colonel General Leonid Ivashov as saying.
   
Ivashov is the former head of the defence minister's department of international cooperation.
   
No further details were immediately available.
   
Dmitry Medvedev, then the Russian president, cancelled a contract to supply Tehran with the advanced missile system in 2010 in the wake of U.N. sanctions imposed on Iran over its disputed nuclear programme.
   
The United States and Israel heavily lobbied Russia to block the missile sale, saying it could be used to shield Iran's nuclear facilities from possible future air strikes. Iran in turn has taken Russia to arbitration to finalise the sale.
   
Ivashov said that Russia's ties with Iran had strengthened recently due to Western sanctions that they are both now facing and added that the two countries were looking to expand their cooperation in other areas.
  
The S-300 advanced missiles have a 125-mile (200-km) range and Russia has stoked tensions with the West by trying to sell the system to other Middle Eastern countries, including Syria.
   
Russia's ties with the West are at Cold War lows over  the conflict in Ukraine where Kiev says Moscow has sent troops and arms to support pro-Russian rebels in the country's east. Russia denies the allegations.