.
.
.
The 5 S-300 systems Russia will send to Iran, at a cost $800 million does not represent a credible air-defense system by themselves. Like the ME-262 they are too little too late, and are not game changers in the least.
What they are significant for is however, closer defense ties between Russia and Iran FINALLY, and comprehensively.
During the Shah era Iran brought some APCs from the Soviet Union, even as Iran acted as the USA's stooge.
During 1989--95 Iran brought significant arms from Russia/Soviet Union.
Between 1995--2000 After American pressure, Russia slowed arms deliveries to Iran.
Between 2000--2007 After Putin came to power, Russian restrictions on arms transfers to Iran were lifted.
Between 2007--2010 Russian arms transfers to Iran were on the up again.
Between 2010--2015 Russian arms transfers to Iran severely slowed due to Israeli pressure on Moscow for the first time.
Now they are up again, but very unlikely Iran will be over enthused about buying a lot of arms from Russia.
Iran will be looking to make her own arms, as well as import far more from China.
___________________________________________
Obama: Russia could sell defensive S-300 missile to Iran sooner
.
By Presstv.com
US President Barack Obama says he was not surprised about Russia’s decision to sell S-300 missile system to Iran because the sale was not prohibited by sanctions and the weapons are defensive..
“They actually stopped the sale, paused or suspended the sale at our request. And I’m frankly surprised that it held this long, given that they were not prohibited by sanctions from selling these defensive weapons,” Obama said on Friday.
.
“When I say I’m not surprised, given some of the deterioration in the relationship between Russia and the United States, and the fact that their economy is under strain and this was a substantial sale,” he added.
.
Obama’s remarks contradicted the Pentagon’s statement about the sale.
.
Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steve Warren announced that the US military is against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to sell S-300 missile system to Iran.
.
“Our opposition to these sales is long and public. We believe it's unhelpful,” Warren said on Monday. “We are raising that through the appropriate diplomatic channels.”
.
Putin on Monday signed a decree that lifts a ban on "the shipment from Russia to Iran" of the S-300 missiles.
.
The decree lifts the ban on transit through the Russian territory, including by air, the delivery from the Russian territory to Iran and the transfer outside of Russia with the use of vessels and aircraft flying the Russian state flag of S-300 missile air defense systems.
.
Under a contract signed in 2007, Russia was obliged to provide Iran with at least five S-300 defense systems.
.
Russia, however, refused to deliver the surface-to-air missiles to Tehran in 2010 under the pretext that it is covered by the fourth round of the United Nations Security Council sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program, which bars hi-tech weapons sales to Tehran.
