Obama, Russia and Iran S-300 air defence systems

http://www.russiatoday.com/news/news/37422
February 17, 2009, 12:36
Missile defence to Iran on hold till meeting with Obama
Russian authorities have put on hold a secret contract with Iran. The contract, which is believed to have been signed in 2005, planned to arm the Islamic Republic with the famous S-300 air-defence missile systems. The latest move comes ahead of talks between the Russian and American presidents set for April 2009.

Irans defence minister Mostafa Mohammad Hajjar, a veteran of the Revolutionary Guards of Iran, arrived in Moscow on Monday for talks on the supply of Russian arms to Iran, particularly the S-300 systems.

However, as reported in Kommersant Daily, Moscow will not deliver the missile systems for some time, at least not before the

first meeting of Russian president Dmitry Medvedev and American counterpart Barack Obama, a historic event widely expected to melt the ice in Russia-US relations and restart a dialogue between the two sides.

Iran does not follow resolutions of the UN Security Council concerning its nuclear programme and that fact alone is enough to put Russia in an awkward position if it delivers S-300s to Iran now.

So far, Moscow and Tehran have fulfilled only one contract in air defence dating back to 2005 when Russia sold Iran 29 Thor-M1 middle-range missile air-defence systems for US$700 million.

Since then, Tehran has showed intense interest in S-300 systems and even signed a secret contract for delivery of 5 divisions of S-300s for US$800 million. But despite the fact that the contract has been initialised and Iran expresses its readiness to pay, Moscow has delayed the supply for political reasons as the question of arming Iran with the newest defence systems greatly alarms Americas principle Middle East ally, Israel.

Nerves of nylon, nerves of steel

Its not just once that the Iranian authorities have jumped the gun and declared that S-300s have already been delivered and deployed, claims always refuted by Russia. The last such instance was on December 22, 2008.

Iran desperately needs the S-300s to protect the almost completed Bushehr nuclear power plant, which is likely to be a high priority target in the event of military conflict with Israel. If S-300 systems are deployed near Bushehr, Israel will be unable to conduct air strikes without response as it did in 1981, when it destroyed a nuclear reactor in Iraq, as well as in 2007, when it took out a supposedly nuclear target in Syria.

At the same time Russian experts doubt whether Israel would dare to conduct an air strike against Iranian nuclear targets.

Israel does not have a reason for such an assault since Iran does not have and, in the near future, will not have nuclear arms, and the US seems to be looking for a political resolution with Iran, Israel will not do the dirty on Obamas administration says political analyst Aleksandr Pikayev from the Institute of World Economy and International Relations.

Russia does not supply only military products to Iran. The construction of a nuclear power plant in Bushehr is just another example for this.

For Russia, Iran is a friendly state. Russia is in constant dialogue with Iran, advising it to comply with its international obligations. Clever people in Washington understand that Russia has vast interests in Iran because it is an ally and strategic friend and neighbour, so it is natural that Russia extends some commercial projects in Iran commented military expert Viktor Mizin from the Moscow Institute of International Affairs.

It is true that five S-300 missile systems could secure the skies above Bushehr nuclear power plant, but it looks really doubtful that Moscow will put at risk the opportunity of improving the severely damaged relations with Washington.

This means that this time the Iranian delegation may leave Moscow without any tangible results. However, the political situation is subject to change, which means that the fate of Iranian air defence literally depends on what Barack Obama has to propose to Dmitry Medvedev in April this year.

There is no doubt that the deadlock of Irans nuclear programme will be among the top priorities at these talks and that this question definitely needs re-examination from both the US and Iran to bring positive results, says Pikaev.

In turn, it is obvious that American leadership is planning to take a diplomatic pause till June when Iran will elect a new president and if it turns out to be someone less irreconcilable like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, then the US will deal directly with the Iranian authorities.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Iran
• Russia
• US

[rotoraval]

WMD in iraq=none

Nuke made in Iraq=none

Lies and more lies from USA gov..The pentagon knew that Iraq was out of weapons but the invasion was done.

Next Iran for WHATEVER, fuck USA go to hell buz it is your place that you come from.

[PunisherLobo]

@Omega3chimp Muslim is not directly Muslim! The Guys that bombed Moskau wher Wahabis a extremist Islamic Sect from Saudi Arabia in Chechnia! The Saudi State is finfancing this extremist Wahabi/Salafi sect all over the World! Iranians are Shias they hate Wahabis and Saudi Arabia! Also other Sunni Countrys do hate the Wahabi but the Wahabis got all the Oil Money and Money is Power! THe Wahabi Sect taked over Arabia and called it Saudi Arabia in the 1920tes!!!

[madmanjshum]

@redviper2GAMER There is not nice.

[rotoraval]

@TheBrandond20 I can go more deep Iran is the second largest in gas and the first or second in oil of the world. Iran supply almost 45% of theirs fuels to China, think about it, China is growing in economic fast, pipelines cross Iran, Pakistan to China what at means for USA, bad news.How USA can control a super power China? Here is your answer the real war is with China, the middle east is only the beginning.

[rotoraval]

@TheBrandond20 Iran has the right to develop nuclear program for the progress of their country, the point here is that usa and israel dont like it, why buz geopolitic domination of the middle east,oil resources thats the point, and if somebody threat to you what are u going to do? Iran is not the problem, the only country to try to disturb the peace there is USA. Examples: Iraq, Afganistan, Pakistan, on and on.

[TheBrandond20]

@rotoraval So why is Iran so Arrogant and boastful about their nuclear program it's like they want attention

[smokesceen124]

America and its supporters are the only once that are pissed of with Iran, even though it has never invaded or made war-crimes against anyone before! countries out side American influence welcome Iran with open arms! that's the reason why Iran's so formidable, and a threat to American propaganda!!

[redviper2GAMER]

Obama said suck his big dick. Big nig kicked there ass. Big deal.  Russia warns United States. Who cares? Russian public are small weak people. Little bitty workers in Russia.

[1MagicAndMayhem1]

@AminataCilla Wikileaks is a farce, And about as accurate as a drunk man trying to piss into a flowerpot

Its about force projection

[AminataCilla]

@1MagicAndMayhem1 , because both Russia and Iran are destined to fail soon. When Republicans take power in 2016. OBAMA's mission is to disarm Russia and Iran through sweet talk and charisma, then surround them with Military bases from Poland round to North Japan. US last resort is to divide Russia in 17 new countries by 2022, that will make it into small countries in the size of Belarus and finally divide China as well, so that the US will still remain the ultimate force. Wikileaks 2009

[1MagicAndMayhem1]

Good News, Russia making good money from supplying Iran with its missile defense, Effective defense against Israeli aggression, Iran is very entitled to them to a degree

Bad News, S-300 is practically long term useless against the sort of weapons either European Or US forces are using and will use in the future

Interest question is why Russia don't sell S-400 to Iran?