Kuwaiti newspaper “al-Jarida” published an article in which he argued that the delay in deliveries of anti-aircraft missile systems s-300 from Russia to Iran is connected not with financial problems, and dissatisfaction with Moscow’s breach of Tehran’s commitments not to transfer missiles to the Lebanese Hezbollah.
This article is cited Israeli media, particularly the newspaper The Jerusalem Post.
The article notes that Hezbollah has received from the Iranians and were able to smuggle in Lebanon self-propelled air defense missile-gun complexes “Pantsir-S1” (SA-22) and anti-ship missiles “Yakhont” Russian production.
According to “al-Jarida”, President Vladimir Putin personally ordered to freeze the delivery of s-300 to Iran after he received from Israel’s unequivocal evidence that the Iranians gave to Hezbollah complexes “Carapace-C1” obtained from the Russian Federation. It is also argued that the intelligence received by the Israelites, were confirmed by Russian pilots flying over Lebanon and Syria and found these complexes to Lebanese territory controlled by Hizbullah.
Recall that in October last year, speaking at the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu stated, verbatim: “Hizbullah, a protege of Iran, had smuggled into Lebanon of the SA-22 to shoot down our planes, missiles “Yakhont” to sink our ships. Iran has supplied Hizbullah with precision missiles, ground-to-ground and attack unmanned aerial vehicles to defeat any point targets in Israel.”
In foreign media reported that the Israeli air force attacked the warehouses of “Hezbollah” in Lebanon and Syria, which kept the missile complex “Pantsir-S1” missile “Yakhont”.
“Al-Jarida” writes that Moscow has made it clear to Tehran that their interests in Syria do not coincide, and the Russian military does not need the participation of Iranian armed forces in the rescue of the regime of Bashar al-Assad.
On February 18, according to previously reached agreements, Iran had to deliver the first s-300. However, the delivery did not take place. The Russian TASS news Agency citing a Russian defense Ministry reported that “the Iranian side has not paid the cost of delivery fixed in the contract”.
Later the President’s press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told TASS news Agency that the specific terms of delivery to Iran of complexes With-300 has not been determined, since, in particular, have not received the payment.
Against the delivery of s-300 to Iran are Israel and the United States.
The deal about Russia supplying Iran with five battalions of s-300 (back then it was about s-300PMU-1, consisting of 40 launchers) was agreed in 2007. The contract amount was estimated at $ 800 million. According to media reports, Tehran is fully paid for s-300, but the complexes have not received. Moscow was forced to return the money, and Tehran threatened to appeal to the court demanding payment of a fine in the amount of $ 2 billion.
In June 2010 the UNSC adopted resolution 1929, imposing restrictions on the supply to Iran of conventional weapons including missiles and missile systems, tanks, attack helicopters, combat aircraft, ships. On 22 September 2010 Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree prohibiting the enforcement of UN security Council resolution delivery to Iran of s-300, as well as material resources associated with them, including spares. The foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation stated that the resolution 1929 is not obliged Russia to take such a step, since the C-300 belongs to defensive weapons. Now this ban has been removed by the decree of Putin. It is possible that after the execution of the contract in 2007, Iran will buy an additional s-300 or other advanced air defense systems and missile defense in Russia.
It is known that the Americans had bought s-300 from Belarus for the development of the anti air forces that WRU. The Israeli air force held joint exercises with the armies of Cyprus and Greece – two Greek s-300PMU1 (exactly the same needs to obtain Iran) currently located on the island of Crete (the last such exercise was held in April of 2015), and with the army of Turkey (until 2011), the arms of which are Chinese analogues of s-300.
There is reason to believe that Russia has delivered s-300 Syria (such information have been published in the Arab media). It is known that the Syrian air defense is equipped and other Russian systems, but this did not prevent the application of air strikes on military installations in Syria without any losses to air force, which carried out these attacks (Damascus and foreign media claim that these were attacks by the Israeli air force). Last year, the Russian military has been put on alert in Syria of s-400, but Moscow says it does not intend to convey this complex Damascus.
April 13, 2015 the Russian President Vladimir Putin has lifted a ban on sale to Iran of s-300, signed by his predecessor Dmitry Medvedev after the decision of the UN security Council embargo on arms deliveries to Iran. The Russian government explained its decision with the progress made in the negotiations on the fate of Iran’s nuclear program, stressing that the UN embargo did not apply to defensive weapons, which include s-300.
November 9, 2015 General Director of state Corporation “rostec” Sergey Chemezov at the international air show “Dubai Airshow-2015” stated that Russia has signed with Iran the contract on delivery of s-300, noting that the contract came into force upon signature. 12 November it became known that Iran will receive from Russia a loan of 5 billion dollars from the budget and $ 2 billion from VEB.
At the end of November and beginning of December 2015, a high-ranking Russian and Iranian officials have stated that Russia has already begun delivery to Iran of s-300. The Agency then explained that these deliveries will start only in January-February of 2016. A source in the system of military-technical cooperation told TASS: “the Process of delivery of the first regiment of s-300PMU-2 is scheduled to begin in January and finish in February next year. The second regiment of these systems Iran should get in August-September 2016. Thus, Russia will fulfill its obligations for the supply of s-300PMU-2 to Iran.”
In one set includes the command post regiment and two divisions with four launchers each. The cost of the two regimental sets of s-300PMU-2 will amount to more than $1 billion.
Anti-aircraft missile system s-300. Help
S-300 is an air defense missile system medium range (up to 100 km), can simultaneously track up to 100 and hit up to 12 targets. System s-300 was adopted by the USSR in 1979. Intended for defence of large industrial and administrative objects, military bases and points of management against blows of means air-a space attack of the opponent. Capable of destroying ballistic missile targets. The development of the s-300 was the creation of the s-400 passed into service in 2004.
System s-300 has a large number of modifications with different missiles, radars, protection against electronic warfare, longer range and the ability to deal with ballistic short-range missiles or targets flying at low altitude.
