Support The Moscow Times!

First Russian S-300 Missiles Delivered to Iran

Russia has delivered the first batch of S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems to Iran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Jaberi Ansari said during a briefing, the Iranian news agency Mehr reported Monday.

In spite of several changes to the delivery time, "the first batch of the equipment has arrived in Iran," Ansari announced. "The delivery of other parts will continue," he added, Mehr reported.

An unidentified source within Russian arms export agencies confirmed that the first S-300 "were shipped to the customer," though without specifying the number of missiles delivered, the Interfax news agency reported.

The deal is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year, the source added.

An $800 million S-300 delivery deal signed between Russia and Iran in 2007 was blocked by the Russian side in 2010 amid global sanctions against Tehran. The annulment of the deal was later described by the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as a "friendly gesture" toward the West.

A new contract with Iran was signed in November after the Russian self-imposed delivery ban was lifted by decree of President Vladimir Putin in April last year.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more