MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russia will soon deliverS-300 air defense systemstoIran, Russian Special Presidential Envoy onAfghanistan Zamir Kabulov said.
Deliveries will be made soon, Kabulov told RIA Novosti in an interview.
Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan earlier said that the first shipment of Russian S-300s would be made in the first quarter of 2016.
Tehran has shown interest in the deliveries of Russian S-400 air defense systems but the two countries are not currently holding any negotiations on the topic, Kabulov said.
No, there are no talks being held on the S-400. The Iranians have noted that they would principally be happy [to receive them], but there havent been any negotiations, Kabulov told RIA Novosti.
A number of news outlets earlier cited Hossein Dehghan as saying that Tehran could purchase the S-400s from Moscow if necessary and that the issue was apparently being discussed.
In 2007, Moscow and Tehran signed an $800-million deal for the delivery of five S-300 missile systems to Iran. In 2010, Russia suspended the contract, citing a UN Security Council resolution that placed an arms embargo on Tehran until it proved the peaceful nature of its nuclear project. Tehran filed a lawsuit against Moscow over the incident.
In April, Moscow repealed the S-300 delivery ban, after Iran and six global powers, including Russia, reached a framework nuclear agreement to remove the anti-Tehran sanctions in exchange for guarantees of the peaceful nature of its nuclear activities.
In mid-January, the International Atomic Energy Agency announced the conclusion of its investigation into Irans nuclear program, having found no indications of military-related nuclear developments in the country.
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The S-400 Triumf Mobile Multiple Anti-Aircraft Missile System (AAMS)[/caption]By Sputnik News
