Iran takes back initial payment for S300 air-defense system

Iran took back the initial payment it had made for Russian-made S300 air-defense system, Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said on Wednesday. He made the remarks on the sidelines of a ceremony held to celebrate the launch of Iranian-made cruise missile “Qader” production line. The defense minister noted that Iran has lodged complaint with the arbitration court seeking compensation from Moscow for its refusal to deliver S-300 air-defense systems. Under a contract signed in 2007, Russia was required to provide Iran with at least five S-300 air-defense systems. Russia has been refusing to deliver the system to Iran under the pretext that the system is covered by the fourth round of UN Security Council resolution against Iran. Iran dismissed Russia's justification that the ban on the delivery of the S-300 missile system to Iran was in line with the (US-engineered) UN Security Council Resolution 1929, and stated that the air defense system is not included in Resolution 1929. The S-300 is a series of Russian long range surface-to-air missile systems produced by NPO Almaz, all based on the initial S-300P version. The S-300 system was developed to defend against aircraft and cruise missiles for the Soviet Air Defense Forces. The inauguration happened on the last day of the Sacred Defense Week started on September 22. The Sacred Defense Week is annually held to commemorate mobilization of Iranian defense forces rushed to the fronts to defend the country vis-a-vis Iraqi imposed war (1980-1988).