Iran military chief says Russian missile delivery overdue
Updated: Friday, November 13, 2009
Photographer: Wikipedia Commons
S-300 air defense system
12:00GMT—7:00AM/EST
Washington, 13 November (WashingtonTV)—A senior Iranian military official on Friday criticized Russia for failing to deliver an advanced missile defense system to Iran, in a deal strongly opposed by the United States and Israel.
Major-General Hassan Firouzabadi, the chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, said that Moscow was now six months late in delivering the S-300 missiles to Tehran.
“We are upset with our Russian friends up north,” Firouzabadi was quoted as saying by the semi-official Mehr news agency.
“Why don’t they allow permission to deliver the S-300 missiles, which the two governments agreed upon for Iranian defense purposes? More than six months have passed since the Russian side was supposed to deliver them,” he added.
Russia signed a contract with Iran on the supply of the missiles in December 2005, but has not yet made any deliveries as part of the deal.
“Don’t Russia strategists realize Iran’s geopolitical importance to Russia’s security,” asked Firouzabadi, who is also a member of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
On Thursday, a senior Russian military official said that Russia is still considering the possible deliveries of the missiles to Iran, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Iran’s Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi on Wednesday urged Russia to fulfill its contract on the supply of the missiles and to ignore pressure from Israel.
The United States and Israel have pressed Moscow not to deliver the missiles to Tehran, which would greatly increase Iran’s defense capabilities against a possible airstrike on its nuclear sites.
Sources: Mehr news agency, RIA Novosti news agency
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