Iran's Foreign Ministry: S-300 System is Being Transferred to the Country

Jaber Ansari, spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, on Monday, February 15, referred to the Iranian Defense Minister's trip to Russia, stating that the delivery of the Russian S-300 missile defense system to Iran has been finalized and is "being transferred to Iran." Hossein Dehghan, the Iranian Defense Minister, who traveled to Moscow on Monday, had previously mentioned regarding Iran's military purchases from Russia that "if we need the S-400 defense system, we will take it." The S-300 anti-aircraft missile can target aircraft at an altitude of 30 kilometers and at a distance of 150 kilometers, with the capability to track 100 targets simultaneously. Iran's acquisition of this system could alter the equations regarding any potential airstrike on Iran's nuclear facilities. According to the IRNA news agency, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman emphasized during his press conference that "the S-300 missile defense system's delivery has progressed based on agreements made between Iran and Russia in recent months and has been finalized." According to the Iranian government's information website, Major General Hossein Dehghan, the Iranian Defense Minister, traveled to Moscow at the official invitation of Army General Sergei Shoigu, the Russian Defense Minister. In a television interview on Tuesday, February 20, Dehghan stated: "The S-300 systems are ready and even packaged... We will receive part of it in the first quarter of the year and the rest by the middle of next year." He emphasized that "if we need the S-400 defense system, we will take it" and added that discussions have been held with the Russians regarding the purchase of fighter jets based on the needs of the Air Force, and they are moving towards signing a contract with them. He noted that "the number of Sukhoi-30 fighter jets we intend to purchase has been determined," but added: "We will not announce the number of these fighter jets for now... We told the Russians that we should also participate in the construction and production of these fighter jets in cooperation and partnership." The story of the sale of the S-300 missile defense system to Iran dates back to 2007 when Tehran and Moscow signed a contract worth $800 million. However, with the onset of international sanctions against Iran in 2010, Russia suspended this contract, which faced protests and complaints from Iran to international authorities. Iran has demanded $4 billion in compensation from Russia, but ultimately, Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, authorized the delivery of the S-300 system to Iran in April of this year.