Russia To Arm Iran With Air Defense System

Iranian Official Says Russia Will Supply Iran With Powerful Missile Defense System

(AP)  Russia is preparing to equip Iran with a powerful new air defense system that would dramatically increase its ability to repel an attack, Iran's defense minister said Wednesday.

The S-300 anti-aircraft missile defense system is capable of shooting down aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missile warheads at ranges of over 90 miles and at altitudes of about 90,000 feet. Russian military officials boast that its capabilities outstrip the U.S. Patriot missile system.

The S-300 is an improvement over the Tor-M1 air defense missile system. Russia delivered 29 Tor-M1s to Iran this year under a $700 million contract signed in December 2005.

"The S-300 air defense system will be delivered to Iran on the basis of a contract signed with Russia in the past," Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said, according to state television.

Najjar didn't say when or how many of the S-300 anti-aircraft missile defense systems would be shipped to Iran, and Russian officials declined to comment.

The Tor-M1 is capable of hitting aerial targets flying at up to 20,000 feet.

"While Tor-M1 missiles can hit targets at low altitude, S-300 missile have an extraordinary performance against targets at high altitude," Najjar said.

Russian officials wouldn't comment on the Iranian statement. Russian officials have consistently denied they were selling the S-300 to Iran. Iranian media reports have claimed the S-300 missile systems could inflict significant damage to the U.S. or Israeli forces, were they to attack Iran.

The United States had said in the past that it would not rule out military action as a way to halt Iran's nuclear enrichment, claiming it was using it as cover for weapons development. But earlier this month, Washington reversed course, concluding in an intelligence assessment that Iran stopped direct work on creating nuclear arms in 2003 and that the program remained frozen through at least the middle of this year.

Israel says Iran remains a strong threat, but most analysts think any Israeli military operation is unlikely at this point.

Teams led by Mikhail Dmitriyev, head of the Russian Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation, and Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi, regarded as the father of Iran's missile program, held talks in Tehran this week on ways to step up defense cooperation.

A military expert speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject said that the Russian team included experts who had installed the Tor-M1 in Iran.

Dmitriyev told the Russian Itar-Tass news agency Wednesday said air defense and radar systems were priorities in Russian-Iranian defense discussions.

Russia has provided Iran with Kilo-Class submarines, MIG and Sukhoi military planes and bombers in recent decades.

Iran-Russia ties increased after a visit here by Russian President Vladimir Putin in October.

[samsel3]

Russia reneged on contracts with BP oil UK for new Siberian wells and also renegotiated contracts for existing BP production wells in Russia for less money. BP was not happy and teamed up with US oil interests for the Caspian Pipeline deal now under construction.

[samsel3]

Russia is the second largest supplier of oil on the planet, the Saudis are number one. After Saddam was removed they lost one of there sources and moved to Iran to fill the void. In exchange they also negotiated contracts to build multiple nuclear power plants in Iran. Russia is well aware of the Cheney plan for the Casapian Sea pipeline which will be cheaper to build if the US goes through Iran. Iran does not want to negotiate with the US on this pipeline. Cheney wants regime change, but Russia does not because it''s not in there economic interest. Thats the real deal!

[samsel3]

Nothing has changed on Iran. The administrations interest in Iran & nukes is a smoke screen for their real agenda. Their true interests are Cheney''s energy policy.Condi Rice is a former board member of Chevron Oil and mouthpiece for the administrations energy policy. Part of that policy is the The Caspian Sea pipeline which will go through Turkmenistan, Afghanistan,Pakistan, to the gulf of Oman and possibly on to India & Nepal.It will be cheaper to construct if they can go through Iran, but regime change is necessary first. The Caspian sea area holds one third of the world''s oil and south asian oil markets are their target market. This pipeline was also the reason for the Afghanistan invasion. Cheney''s energy policy is the root of all these middle east wars, a federal court judge sealed all documents associated with it for the administration, and the national media are not allowed to discuss or comment on it. More troops are needed in Afghanistan to protect the contractors building the pipeline. Iran stands in the way of total control of global oil now with sales of oil to China''s Sinopec Oil,deal signed Dec.10,2007. Months ago China said there would be dire consequences if the US interfered with there direct oil contracts with Iran. Both parties in the Congress should be very concerned with China''s growing war machine and need for oil. They are the real threat & the administration doesn''t care. All that matters to them is BIG OIL and their corporate stock portfolios.

[tbweb]

"Iranian Official Says Russia Will Supply Iran With Powerful Missile Defense System"

The new official statement from Russia is that the Iranians are lying, the Russians state they have never even discussed the sale of the new S-300 anti-aircraft missile defense system with Iran, have no plans to discuss it and have no plans to sell it to them! Pure Iranian propaganda or wishful thinking!

[enriquecaliente]

I hope the Russians are ready to mount a prayer rug.

[countyboy21]

Good points ya''ll!!

Couldn''t Russia just sell Iran some lead painted/tainted toy rockets with WMD''s on them??? But seriously folks? Does this make Russia the "PAWN SHOP"?? If so "Who wonts 2 be the liquor store"!

If it takes Iran fifty years aka "2058" 2 manufacture bluejeanes & T-shirts, How long will we have 2 make them last??
the toulet paper business must have been a pipe dream?!!

regards.

[samsel3]

On September 14,2002 Rep. James McDermott at a Capitol Hill Briefing said that politics and oil, not fear that Iraq will use WMD are driving factors behind the presidents call for regime change. McDermott said there was an organized effort to squelch such discussions. "The political operatives in the white house have been very careful to spin it away from oil. Anytime anybody sees a connection they spin it the other way."

[samsel3]

Russia reneged on contracts with BP oil UK for new Siberian wells and also renegotiated contracts for existing BP production wells in Russia for less money. BP was not happy and teamed up with US oil interests for the Caspian Pipeline deal now under construction.

[samsel3]

Posted by lochlan at 01:03 PM : Dec 27, 2007
It''s oil & gas they are after. The Caspian Sea Region holds one third of the words oil and they are in competition with Russia. I have a picture of an oil tanker named the CONDOLEEZA taken on the Caspian after the Afghan invasion. They later changed the name

[lochlan-2009]

samsel3- You''ve done your research, and are dead on. It''s natural gas that''s under the Caspian sea, that they are after though. And Cheney and co. is working with Ahmadinejad behind closed doors (Haliburton is still doing drilling contracts for Iran). Publicly however, his opposition statements are to rattle the war chains so the defense contractors can get their stack of IOU''s to pass on to we the tax payer.