Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 18
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Iran has put on display the first containment of the S-300 surface-to-air missile defense system it received from Russia during the country's Army Day celebrations April 17.
Iranian military expert Hossein Aryan believes that the move is purely promotional and doesn't really make much sense.
"Judging from what was shown at the parade, it can be concluded that Iran's S-300 is far from being operational at the moment," he told Trend.
The video footage released by Iranian media outlets show that the country has received the S-300 missile tubes and radar equipment, without actual missiles.
The expert went on to add that by showcasing the received S-300 parts, Iran has sent a message to the US and other opposing countries that it has already received the system.
Iran was to receive five units of the S-300PMU2, which Russia has stopped to manufacture. Aryan said that Moscow reportedly offered Iran Antey-2500 - a different and upgraded type of the S-300 system.
Once the whole system including the missiles delivered to Iran, the system's type will be clear, he said.
Iran and Russia have had ups and downs over the S-300 system deal which dates back to 2007. Iran filed a complaint against Russia at the International Court of Arbitration in 2010 as Moscow suspended the delivery of the system under the $800 million-deal due to the international sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear program.
However, with the scrapping of the international sanctions as part of a nuclear deal, which went into force Jan. 16, Iranian officials became confident that they would receive the missile system soon.
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