MOSCOW, April 16. /TASS/. The issue of the supply of Russia’s S-300 anti-aircraft defense missile systems to Iran has been settled, Iranian Defense Minister General Hossein Dehghan told journalists on Thursday.

"This issue has been settled, the agreement has been reached and now the delivery time is being discussed," he said.

"Six years ago, we signed a contract with the Russian side, certain aspects of that contract will correspond to the present-day conditions," he said. "The contract will be reactivated in accordance with these conditions."

The implementation of the Russian-Iranian contract of 2007 for supplying the S-300 systems was suspended following the introduction of sanctions against Iran in September 2010. Tehran later protested that decision in court.

Shortly after Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu visited Iran last January the US Department of State said that supplies of Russian air defense systems to Iran would be unacceptable. In the meantime, Iran has repeatedly voiced the hope Russia would eventually agree to provide the launchers.

The head of the Rostech corporation, Sergey Chemezov, in February said that Russia had offered Tehran to buy the upgraded system Antey-2500 instead of S-300 and that Iran was still considering that option and remained undecided. The US Department of State said it had no objections to Russia’s alternative proposal to Iran.

S-300 systems (NATO reporting name SA-10 Grumble) are designed to defend major facilities from air attacks. They are considered to be some of the world's most capable anti-aircraft missile systems. Photo: S-300 surface-to-air missile systems in firing position