Moscow will deliver modernized versions of the S-300 missile defense systems, Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan told RIA Novosti on Friday.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) � On April 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree lifting the cancellation of�the S-300 air defense systems sale, originally put into�place following�the 2010 UN Security Council embargo on�arms deliveries to�Tehran.
�It should be noted that the Russian side has included some definite improvements to�the system that we need to�learn from�the technical point of�view.�


Dehghan said that no additional Russian specialists would be needed since�all of�the Iranian specialists working with�the system had already gone through�training.

�The necessary training skills for�using this system were held during�the previous contract so we don�t need to�invite any [Russian] consultants to�give instructions on�using this system,� he added.Putin's decision to�lift the S-300 sales ban took place two weeks after�Tehran and world agreed on�a framework for�a deal to�detail Iran's nuclear program. The framework involves sanctions against�Iran, including the arms embargo, being phased out�over time. The final deal is expected by�July 2015.

On Thursday, the Russian President Putin said that there were no reasons for�Moscow to�keep the embargo on�providing Iran with�S-300 missile defense systems, underlining that it is a purely defensive weapon.

The same day, Iran�s Defense Ministry said the S-300 deal could be closed by�the end of�2015.


By Sputnik News