MOSCOW — Russia has announced deliveries of anti-aircraft systems to
Iran.
The Russian Defense Ministry said Moscow exported the TOR-M1
surface-to-air missile system to Iran. The ministry said Iran was
considering another order of the mobile, short-range anti-aircraft system.
"We have supplied the modern short-range anti-aircraft systems TOR-M1 in
accordance with our contracts," Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said
on Tuesday.
The TOR-M1, developed by the Russia's Almaz-Antei, was said to be
capable of destroying manned and unmanned aircraft as well as cruise
missiles. The system, introduced in 2005, could destroy two targets
simultaneously at an altitude of 10 kilometers. Almaz said the TOR-M1 could
identify up to 48 targets simultaneously.
[On Tuesday, Iran reported the interception of a U.S. unmanned aerial
vehicle. An Iranian parliamentarian, Nezam Mola Hoveizeh, said the
reconnaissance UAV entered Iranian air space recently.]
Officials said the first of 29 TOR-M1 systems were delivered in late
2006. They said deliveries would continue throughout 2007 in a sale reported
at $1 billion.
"Iran is not under sanctions, and if it wants to buy defensive equipment
for its armed forces then why not?" Ivanov said.
[On Wednesday, a senior Iranian official said Teheran has bolstered
protection of its nuclear facilities. The official did not cite the TOR-M1.]
The state-owned Itar-Tass news agency quoted Ivanov as saying the TOR-M1
deliveries have been completed. But later officials said most of the systems
remained in Moscow.
Ivanov did not say how Iran would use the TOR-M1. But officials said the
advanced system would help protect Iranian nuclear facilities from any U.S.
or Israeli air strike.
"We are developing our cooperation with Iran relying on the provisions
of international law, and if Iran needs to procure defense weaponry, we are
ready for such cooperation," Ivanov said.
