[Ynet News] Ron Ben-Yishai - There are conflicting reports as to whether Russia is selling Iran the advanced S-300 anti-aircraft missile system. Any such system is made up of several basic components: radar, a control center, the missiles and their launch vehicles, peripheral equipment, and a logistic system. It is very possible that the Russians are not providing the Iranians with the entire system for the time being, but rather, for example, only the radar and other peripheral equipment. Information received in the West informs us that Iranian operators are already training in Russia on using the S-300 system. So the Russians were able to say they are not supplying the missiles, yet in practice also meet their obligations in line with the deal signed by President Putin and Iran's defense minister a year ago in Moscow. The Russians conducted themselves in a similar fashion in the deal signed with Tehran for supplying fuel to the nuclear reactor they built in Bushehr. Despite the delays in that deal, Russia ultimately delivered the goods.
2008-12-23 06:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive