Iran, Russia implementing new deal on S-300 defence system

Iran and Russia have signed a new deal on the delivery of S-300 missile defence system and it is in the process of implementation, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari said here on Monday.

"The first stage of the new contract has been implemented and we hope that, based on the new plan, the contract will be completed in its due time," Xinhua quoted Jaber Ansari as saying in response to a question of whether Iran has received the first batch of S-300 equipment in its northern port city of Anzali.

Earlier on Monday, some media outlets quoted Iranian spokesman as saying that Iran has received the first batch of the equipment pertaining to the missile system.

However, Jaber Ansari later criticised as inaccurate media reports about his remarks on the S-300 issue, saying that he was referring instead to "the implementation of the first stage of the new deal".

Jaber Ansari did not elaborate on what is being implemented about the new contract.

In March, RIA Novosti news agency reported that Russia would hand over the first batch of the S-300 defence missile systems to Iran in August or September.

Russia and Iran signed a $800 million contract in 2007, according to which Moscow would supply Tehran with five S-300 missile systems.

In September 2010, then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev cancelled the contract in line with a UN Security Council resolution, which banned such deals with Iran.

In April 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin lifted the ban as Iran withdrew a lawsuit against Russia over the cancellation.

The S-300 is regarded as one of the most potent air defence systems.