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Kremlin does not comment on deliveries of S-300 missile system to Iran

Iran’s TASNIM news agency reported earlier on Monday that the first batch of the S-300 air defense missile system has been delivered to Iran

MOSCOW, April 11. /TASS/. The Kremlin does not comment on the beginning of deliveries to the Iranian side of Russia’s S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems.

"I’ll leave it without comment", Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday.

Iran’s TASNIM news agency reported earlier on Monday, quoting Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari that the first batch of the S-300 air defense missile system has been delivered to Iran.

Iranian state television demonstrated on Monday the footage provided by the country’s Defense Ministry about the delivered first batch of the S-300PMU missile system. The weapons in camouflage covering were transported by heavy-duty army tractor units. The video showed a convoy of at least eight tractor units with trailers.

Russia and Iran concluded a contract on the supply of five battalions of the S-300 system in 2007, however, in autumn 2010 Dmitry Medvedev, who held the post of the Russian president then, banned the supply of these systems to Tehran due to the UN sanctions imposed on Iran. The contract worth more than $800 million was cancelled and the advance payment was returned to the Iranian side.

Later, Iran lodged a $4 billion lawsuit at an international court in Geneva against Russia’s arms exporting agency over Russia’s nonfulfillment of its obligations under the contract. According to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, "through lengthy and complicated negotiations" Russia succeeded in settling this dispute in court.

In spring 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin lifted the ban on the S-300 missile system delivery to Iran.

S-300 (NATO reporting name SA-10 Grumble) is a missile defense system designed to fire surface-to-air missiles at aerial targets such as helicopters, warplanes and cruise or ballistic missiles.