Iranian Official Consults with Russia on Sukhoi 30 Fighter Jets

While an Iranian government official has been consulting with officials in Russia regarding the new generation Sukhoi 30 fighter jets, the Russian news agency TASS reported that there are still "obstacles" regarding the delivery of the S-300 system. The Iranian official, who recently traveled to Russia, met with senior officials including the President, and discussions were held about the Sukhoi 30 fighter jets, according to Iran's official news agency. At the same time, it has been stated that Iran and Russia are still facing obstacles regarding the transfer of the S-300 defense system, with negotiations ongoing. The official Iranian news agency IRNA did not directly mention the "purchase" of the Sukhoi 30 by Iran in its reports on the discussions between Sorena Sattari, the Vice President for Science and Technology, and Russian officials. IRNA quoted Sattari as saying that "the discussions about this fighter jet were in the area of technology and there was no talk of purchase." He added that the purchase issue "should be pursued through relevant and specialized channels." However, Iran's interest in "buying" these fighter jets had been raised previously. The Al-Manar network, affiliated with Hezbollah in Lebanon, also reported two days ago that Tehran and Moscow began discussions on preparing the Sukhoi 30 for Iran on Tuesday, with Sattari and Putin present at these negotiations. According to IRNA, Sattari, during his visit to participate in the MAKS 2015 air show in Moscow, met with Vladimir Putin, the President, the Minister of Industry, the Deputy Prime Minister for Defense Affairs, and an operational assistant to the President, discussing the expansion of cooperation between the two countries. This trip concluded on the fifth of Ordibehesht (April 24). On the other hand, the Russian news agency TASS quoted a source from the Russian military-industrial organization stating that negotiations with Tehran regarding a new contract for the delivery of the S-300 missile defense system are still ongoing. However, the two sides have not yet been able to reach a complete agreement. According to this source, the problem for both sides is that Iran wants to receive the first part of the system to withdraw a complaint it has filed against Moscow, while Russia wants the complaint to be withdrawn before proceeding with further actions. Recent reports indicate that despite the Russian President's action to halt the suspension of the sale of this system to Iran, the missile defense system has still not been delivered.