Iran to Produce Long-Range Air Defense Missiles

Iran to Produce Long-Range Air Defense Missiles

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Iranian Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday that Tehran plans to produce long-range air defense missiles without foreign aid. "We build whatever we want inside the country… and the production of long-range air defense system in Iran is already on the agenda of the defense ministry," Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi told reporters in a press conference here today.

Vahidi further underlined Iran's capabilities and potentials in developing and producing all types of military tools, weapons and equipment, and reiterated that Tehran will no more wait for the delivery of military products from abroad.

His remarks alluded to a contract on the delivery of Russia's sophisticated anti-aircraft S-300 missile system to Iran. Moscow has long delayed implementation of the contract terms under different pretexts and it is yet to deliver the system to Tehran.

Some Tehran officials believe that Russia will not hold up its end of the bargain eventually and is just playing Iran card to win more concessions from the US on the international scene.

Noting that Iran is still waiting for the delivery of the S-300 defense shield, General Vahidi warned Russia not to be trapped by the plots hatched by the US to darken Moscow's relations with its friends and neighbors.

Russian officials had announced in July that they are still committed to the terms of the S-300 contract to Iran.

A top Russian military official said the S-300 defense system deal with Iran is pending the decision of President Dmitry Medvedev and has not been canceled yet.

"The contract on supplying S-300 air defense systems to Iran has not yet been canceled," Sergei Chemezov, the chief of Russia's military conglomerate Rostekhnologii said.

"The final decision on signing or dropping the contract must be made by the President."

Moscow signed a contract with Tehran in 2007 to supply the powerful S-300 missiles to Iran but it has refrained from delivering the system to the county due to the US and Israeli pressures.

The S-300 surface-to-air system, known as the SA-20 in the West, can track targets and fire at aircraft 120 kilometers (75 miles) away. It also features high jamming immunity and is capable of simultaneously engaging up to 100 targets.

Meantime, an Iranian top military commander had announced several months ago that Tehran is able to replace the Russian-made anti-aircraft S-300 missiles with other air defense systems.

"If they do not deliver S-300 defensive system to us, we have replacements and we can supply our operational requirements through innovative techniques and different designs," Deputy Commander of Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base for Coordination General Hassan Mansourian said in November.

Source: Fars News