Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan said Tuesday that the Russian S-300 air defense system had been delivered to the country’s air defense forces.
In April, Iranian military officials said that Tehran had purchased a batch of S-300 air defense systems. Local media reported at the time that Iran had displayed the Russian-made S-300 air defense systems during the annual military parade devoted to Army Day on April 17.
“The Khatam al-Anbia Air Defense Base has received the strategic S-300 air defense missile system,” Dehqan was quoted by the Tasnim news agency as saying, adding that Iran has also completed development of the domestically-produced Bavar-373 air defense system, with mass production expected to be launched in 2016.
The $900-million Moscow-Tehran contract to deliver five Russian S-300 systems to Iran was signed in 2007. It was suspended after the adoption of UN Security Council sanctions on Iran in mid-2010.
In April 2015, Russia resumed talks on the S-300 deliveries following a framework agreement on the landmark deal ensuring the peaceful nature of Tehran’s nuclear program.
Russia and Iran are expected to fully implement the S-300 contract in 2016, according to Iranian defense officials.
