Iran claims air defense advances

An Iranian military leader said work has begun on developing an air defense system superior to one Russia was contracted to provide but unable to deliver. Brig. Gen. Farzad Esmaili, commander of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya air defense base, said the country's Bavar (Belief) 373 system was started after Russia, under a contract signed in 2007, was to deliver five S-300 air defense systems, but refused to do so under U.N. Security Council trade sanctions against Iran, Press TV, a news service based in Tehran, reported Monday. "We have no problems, and all tasks regarding the radar system, the detection system and the types of interception have been completed," Esmaili said, adding the project is 30 percent complete and demonstrates Iran's capability of producing an air defense system without outside aid.