Moscow, April 16 (IANS): Iranian Defence Minister Hussein Dehgan announced on Thursday the finalisation of a deal by which Russia will supply Tehran with S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems. The US and Israel have opposed the deal.
"This issue is resolved. There is an agreement and we are already discussing the terms of supply," Dehgan said, according to the Efe new agency.
In Moscow, Dehgan recounted how six years ago, Iran signed an arms contract with Russia, but the agreement was suspended in 2010 following UN sanctions.
"We hope that the agreement is implemented," the Iranian minister said, adding that the contract would be updated to reflect the new circumstances.
Dehgan announced on Thursday that he intended to sign the contract during his visit, and that Tehran would receive the systems later in the year, after Russian President Vladimir Putin lifted the ban on supplying S-300 systems on Monday.
Most experts agree that Moscow and Tehran will sign a new contract, since the S-300PMU1 missile systems, which Russia was going to send Iran under the agreement signed in 2007, are no longer manufactured.
It is understood that Russia will supply Iran with five sets of the S-300VM Antey-2500 system, a modified version for S-300V system.
The Kremlin said earlier this week that it was a bilateral issue that had nothing to do with UN sanctions, as the embargo imposed by the Kremlin on supplying the S-300 systems was voluntary.
Dehgan, who will speak on Thursday at the IV Moscow Conference on International Security, will meet with Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.
According to the Iranian embassy in Moscow, the two ministers will address the military cooperation deal signed during Shoigu's visit to Tehran.
Regarding the "concern" expressed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Putin had said in a telephone conversation that the S-300 systems were not a threat to Israel's national security.
According to experts, the S-300 will allow Iran to address a possible Israeli or US invasion, as the system can detect and defend against cruise and ballistic missiles, and low-flying aircraft.