Russia: S-300 Systems Fully Delivered to Iran

Russia has announced that it has fully delivered the S-300 air defense systems to Iran. The Russian news agency Sputnik reported on Thursday, October 14, citing a statement from the Russian state arms export agency, that Moscow has completed the delivery process of the S-300 missile defense systems to Tehran based on the contract. According to unofficial information mentioned in the report, the number of systems delivered to Iran is four sets. The report states: "These systems were manufactured at the design and production center of the Russian aerospace defense industry 'Almaz-Antey' at a cost of approximately one billion dollars." The sale of the S-300 missile systems has been one of the most controversial contracts between Tehran and Moscow in recent years. Iran signed the contract to purchase the S-300 in 2007, but due to the expansion of international sanctions against Tehran, Moscow suspended the sale of the S-300 missile systems to Iran in 2010 under Western pressures. The delay in the implementation of the contract led Iran to file a complaint against Russia in international forums. Eventually, after various announcements regarding the delivery times of this system to Tehran, Russian President Vladimir Putin lifted the ban on delivering this system to Iran in June of this year, following the achievement of a nuclear agreement. The first shipment of components of the S-300 missile system, including missile launchers and radar equipment, was delivered to Iran in April 2016. In September of this year, the release of images of the S-300 system deployed near the Fordow nuclear facility in Natanz, Iran, sparked reactions. Some experts believe that the delivery of the S-300 to Iran will reduce pressures on Iran, and various officials from the United States and Israel have expressed concern about the delivery of the S-300 air defense system to Iran. Among them, Ben Rhodes, a security advisor to the U.S. President and the U.S. State Department, stated that despite concerns about the delivery of this system to Iran, it does not violate UN resolutions.