Russia Begins Securing Iranian Skies With S-300 Missile Deliveries

Sputnik News

17:23 23.11.2015

Russia began deliveries of S-300 air defense systems to Iran, Iranian Ambassador to Russia Mehdi Sanai said Monday, as quoted as saying by the Tasnim news agency.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – On November 9, Russia signed a new contract with Iran on the delivery of 'about 300' S-300 air defense systems, according to Russia's state technologies corporation Rostec.

The delivery of Russian-made missiles is expected to be completed by the end of 2015, Iranian Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehqan said on November 10.

Moscow and Tehran signed an $800-million deal for the delivery of five S-300 missile systems in 2007. In 2011, Iran sued Russia in the Geneva Arbitration Court after Moscow suspended the contract in 2010, citing a UN Security Council resolution that placed an arms embargo on Tehran over its nuclear program.

In April 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin lifted the S-300 delivery ban, shortly after the P5+1 group of international negotiators and Iran reached a framework nuclear agreement to remove all economic sanctions against Tehran in exchange for its pledge to ensure that all nuclear research in the country will be for peaceful purposes.

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