Supplies of S-300 air defense systems to Iran to begin in January 2016 - source

MOSCOW, December 25. /TASS/. The deliveries of Russian S-300PMU-2 air defense systems to Iran will begin next month, a source in the military and technical cooperation system told TASS on Friday. "It is planned to begin the process of delivery of the first regiment of the S-300PMU-2 air defense systems in January and to complete it in February. Iran is due to receive the second regiment of these systems in August or September 2016," the source said. "Russia will thus fulfill its obligations to supply the S-300PMU-2 air defense systems to Iran," he added. According to the source, in September the parties signed an additional agreement to the contract on the S-300 air defense systems. The first batch of the S-300PMU-2 systems under the contract - one regimental set - was immediately sent to the Kapustin Yar range. Currently these systems are completing tests there to confirm their stated specifications. Then they will arrive at the port of shipment in the Russian part of the Caspian Sea from where they will be delivered to Iran by maritime transport," the source said. Iran earlier ordered from Russia five battalions of the S-300 air defense systems to the tune of more than $800 million. However, in the autumn of 2010 then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev prohibited to transfer these weapons to Tehran. The contract was annulled and advance payment returned to the Iranian side. Due to the failure to honor the agreement, Iran filed a lawsuit to the Court of Arbitration in Geneva for nearly $4billion. In the spring of 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin lifted a ban on the supplies of S-300 to Iran. Rostec corporation CEO Sergey Chemezov said that the contract on these air defense systems had come into force in November. In early December this information was confirmed by Russian presidential aide for military and technical cooperation Vladimir Kozhin. Later Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin told reporters that Iran’s lawsuit would be withdrawn after the delivery of the first S-300 battery. Read more