S-300 Air Defense System Tested in Iran

Iranian media, including the IRIB news agency, reported on Saturday, March 5, that the S-300 air defense system was tested in the central desert of Iran and successfully "intercepted and destroyed various targets including ballistic missiles and drones." The report did not specify the timing of the test, only stating that due to its "classified nature," this news was allowed to be published for the first time. According to the report, the S-300 system was tested during a drill named "Damavand," which was attended by the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, and several S-300 missiles "intercepted and destroyed various targets including ballistic missiles and drones." The S-300 anti-aircraft missile is capable of targeting aircraft at an altitude of 30 kilometers and at a distance of about 200 kilometers, and it can simultaneously track multiple targets. Iran's acquisition of this system is significant for enhancing the protection of its nuclear facilities. On Thursday, October 14, the Russian news agency Sputnik reported, citing a statement from the Russian State Weapons Export Agency, that Moscow had completed the delivery process of the S-300 missile defense systems to Tehran. The contract for the sale of the S-300 systems has been one of the most controversial agreements between Tehran and Moscow in recent years. Iran and Moscow signed the S-300 purchase agreement in 2007, about ten years ago, but due to the expansion of international sanctions against Tehran, Moscow suspended the contract in 2010 under Western pressure. Delays in the implementation of the contract led Iran to complain to international forums against Russia. Eventually, after various announcements regarding the delivery timeline, Russian President Vladimir Putin lifted the ban on delivering this system to Iran in June of this year, following the achievement of the Vienna nuclear agreement. 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 considered the delivery of the S-300 to Iran as a means to reduce pressures on Iran, and various officials from the United States and Israel expressed concern about the delivery of the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system to Iran. Farzad Esmaeili, the commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Base, announced that the S-300 system "completely Iranian" under the name "Bavar 373" will be tested in the near future. He claimed that the Iranian S-300 is "completely indigenous and its technology is several steps ahead" of the Russian S-300. Mr. Esmaeili stated in 2014 that the first missile launch by the "Bavar 373" system was successfully conducted and that this system "is set to replace the S-300." Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited the "Bavar 373" air defense system on August 22. According to Iranian media, this air defense system was developed by the Aerospace Industries Organization of the Ministry of Defense, the Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Base, and domestic scientific and research centers.