Russia’s S-300 deal with Iran is on hold

On March 18, a Russian Government source was quoted as saying that Moscow will decide whether to deliver sophisticated Almaz-Antey S-300 PMU-1 (NATO designation: SA-20A Gargoyle) Surface-to-Air Missile systems to Iran, depending on the international situation (MPI January 1 &15, 2009, page 1).

     “The further implementation of the contract depends in large part on the developing international situation and the decision of the country’s leaders,” said the source in the Federal Service for Military-Technical Co-operation, which oversees Russian arms sales.

     “The S-300 systems have not yet been delivered within the framework of the contract concluded two years ago,” the source added.

     The deal has attracted criticism from the US and Israel, which suspect Iran of developing nuclear weapons. Neither the US nor Israel has ruled out air attacks on Iran’s atomic facilities, which Tehran insists are intended only for peaceful purposes. The presence of 150km-range, Mach 6 S-300 SAMs could dramatically hinder such attacks.

      Russian defence expert Ruslan Pukhov said the US was clearly preparing a deal by which Russia would renounce its long-standing military ties with Iran, in exchange for Washington dropping plans to deploy missile defence facilities in Eastern Europe.

      In February, US President Barack Obama wrote a confidential letter to his opposite number, Dmitry Medvedev, in which he suggested that the US would have no need to deploy missile defences in Eastern Europe if Moscow were to help in stopping Iran from developing long-range weapons.

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