WarSclerotic

Russia state arms trader has no comment on Iran deal | Reuters.

By Dmitry Solovyov

MOSCOW, Jan 28 (Reuters) – Russia’s state arms trader on Thursday declined to say whether it would go ahead with a deal to sell S-300 anti-aircraft systems to Iran, a sore point in Moscow’s relations with the United States and Israel.

“I just don’t quite understand why supplies of the S-300 system to Iran trouble you so much,” the head of Rosoboronexport, Anatoly Isaikin, replied after being repeatedly asked about the deal at a news briefing.

Russia is under intense Western pressure to distance itself from Iran in the dispute over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, but Moscow has refused to block the delivery of the S-300 system.

In Jerusalem, an Israeli official told Reuters Russia had yet to ship the S-300’s “main systems” — such as radars and interceptor missiles — to Iran.

Analysts say the S-300 could help Iran thwart any attempt by Israel or the United States to bomb its nuclear facilities from the air.

Isaikin said journalists must be guided by statements made by other Russian officials last year. “From my part, I just want to say I have nothing to add to these statements.”

He added that Rosoboronexport’s weapons exports this year would be no lower than last year’s $7.4 billion, and that its portfolio of current export orders exceeded $34 billion.

Isaikin said the state arms trader’s exports had increased by more than 2.4 times between 2001 and 2009. Main buyers in previous years have been Vietnam and China, and Middle Eastern orders have increased recently.

The truck-mounted S-300PMU1, known in the West as the SA-20, can shoot down cruise missiles and aircraft. It has a range of 150 km (90 miles) and travels at more than two km per second.

Washington has sought pledges from Russia for tougher sanctions against Iran over its nuclear energy programme, which the West suspects is intended to produce nuclear weapons. Tehran denies any such intention.

Israel, which is thought to have the Middle East’s only atomic arsenal, has hinted it could attack Iran in an effort to stop it obtaining nuclear weapons.

Iran has threatened to retaliate for any attack by firing medium-range missiles at Israel. (Additional reporting by Dan Williams in Jerusalem; writing by Amie Ferris-Rotman; editing by Andrew Roche)

This entry was posted on January 28, 2010 at 11:22 AM and is filed under Iran / Israel War. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.