Proxy War Escalates: Russia Lifts Ban On Selling Anti-Aircraft Missiles To Iran

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-04-13/proxy-war-escalates-russia-lifts-ban-selling-anti-aircraft-missiles-iran

Proxy War Escalates: Russia Lifts Ban On Selling Anti-Aircraft Missiles To Iran


Submitted by Tyler Durden on 04/13/2015 10:23 -0400









      
   
 
UPDATE: *RUSSIA WILL SUPPLY S-300 TO IRAN QUICKLY: INTERFAX
We showed yesterday the web of interconnected rifts and relationships among The Middle East's local and proxy war members and it seems this morning tensions are escalating once again. As Bloomberg reports, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Monday lifting a ban on the delivery of S-300 anti-missile rocket systems to Iran. The ban was introduced by former President Dmitry Medvedev in 2010 under pressure from the West following UN sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear program.
 

 
As Haaretz reports,

Quote :

Russia says it cancelled a contract to deliver the advanced missile system to Iran in 2010 under pressure from the West following UN sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear program, but world powers and Tehran have now reached an interim deal on curbing Iran's nuclear work.

*  *  *

Quote :

“[The presidential] decree lifts the ban on transit through Russian territory, including airlift, and the export from the Russian Federation to the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also the transfer to the Islamic Republic of Iran outside the territory of the Russian Federation, both by sea and by air, of air defense missile systems S-300,” says the information note accompanying the document, RIA Novosti reported.

*  *  *
Of course what this really means is that the next Saudi airplane to crash over "east Iran" will lead to recriminations against Russia.. and more isolation.
Russian foreign minsiter Lavrov adds:

• *LAVROV: RUSSIA LIFTED IRAN S-300 BAN TO AID TALKS: RIA
  
• *LAVROV: NO MORE NEED FOR IRAN S-300 EMBARGO: RIA
  
• *LAVROV: S-300 NOT THREATENING ISRAEL, OTHER NATIONS: RIA
  
• *LAVROV SAYS S-300 ARE PURELY DEFENSIVE SYSTEMS: RIA
  

That is pretty BIG news.  Iran getting the Russian S-300 system definitely alters the game with Iran.  I'm sure Israel is not very happy about this.  There had to be some behind the scenes talks with the West before this was done.  Another little step to WW3.  The S-300 is one of or if not one of the best missile defense systems in the world.

rawblues wrote:

That is pretty BIG news.  Iran getting the Russian S-300 system definitely alters the game with Iran.  I'm sure Israel is not very happy about this.  There had to be some behind the scenes talks with the West before this was done.  Another little step to WW3.  The S-300 is one of or if not one of the best missile defense systems in the world.

I don't think this is a game changer for Israel. According to this article from 2013, Putin supplied the s300's to Syria, and that hasn't stopped Israel from some pretty big aerial attacks. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/171767#.VSxAbJOxUxk

I suspect that Israel has already designed a counter measure to the S300.

According to this article today, Syria never got the S-300.    The 
S-300 system is very advanced.


The Egyptian Daily Al Ahram reported on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has lifted a ban on supplying Iran with sophisticated S-300 air defense missile systems, after Tehran struck a deal with the West over its nuclear program.
A decree signed by Putin lifts a ban on “the shipment from Russia to Iran” of the S-300 missiles, the Kremlin said in a statement. Moscow had blocked delivery of the surface-to-air missiles to Tehran in 2010.
The report alarmed the Israeli government. Israeli officials responded with dismay to the report, saying the supply, if it goes ahead, would change the balance of power in the region.
The delivery of the S-300 defense missile system to Iran could prevent any Israeli military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, Israeli TV Channel 2 reported. Channel 2 also cited unnamed American officials who reacted with concern to the news.
A decree signed by Putin removes a ban on “the shipment from Russia to Iran” of the S-300 missiles, the Kremlin said in a statement.
In 2007, Russia signed a contract to sell Tehran the S-300 system; but the system was never delivered due to strong objections by the United States and Israel.

Read more at http://www.westernjournalism.com/israel-alarmed-russian-decision-supply-iran-s-300-air-defense-missiles/#GVJGvyfbxODqQOFa.99

The article says the system was never delivered to Tehran (Iran). Syria had/has them and it hasn't stopped Israel from penetrating Syrian airspace.
It's advanced. but apparently Israel knows how to defeat it. Now, if Putin starts shipping the S400's, then there's a problem.

Russia did send S-300 "components" to Syria, but it was never operational there.  Putin said last Fall (2014) that he was canceling the deal for the remaining components to Syria that would've made them operational.  I remember reading that, so Israel has yet to actually go against it.  There was tons of pressure on Putin to not complete the deal and he eventually caved.  

For now, I don't think Putin will ship S400's, he would not want to risk that system falling into the wrong hands at this point.

This s not good:


image: http://www.trunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/trunews1.jpg




China to buy S-400 air defense system from Russia


 
China will become the first foreign purchaser of Russia’s S-400 anti-aircraft weapon system, reports Duowei News, a US-based Chinese political news outlet.
“I will not disclose the details of the contract, but yes, China has indeed become the first buyer of this sophisticated Russian air defense system,” Rosoboronexport CEO Anatoly Isaykin told Russian media outlets on Monday. “It underlies once again the strategic level of our relations.”
The deal was reportedly made last September, when China agreed to pay US$3 billion for delivery of at least six S-400 battalions.
Isaykin said “many countries” want to buy the S-400 but that the manufacturer VKO Almaz-Antey, Russia’s largest defense contractor, is obliged to first deliver them to the Russian Defense Ministry.

Read more at http://www.trunews.com/china-to-buy-s-400-air-defense-system-from-russia/#DqCdi4WmmYLHaDzc.99

http://www.prisonplanet.com/s-300-in-iran-no-threat-to-israel-putin-briefs-netanyahu-on-defensive-weapons-concept.html

S-300 in Iran ‘no threat to Israel’: Putin briefs Netanyahu on defensive weapons concept


RT
April 15, 2015
Following Russia’s decision to lift a ban on supplying S-300 missile systems to Iran, the Israeli PM has called President Putin to express his “grave concerns” – and received a detailed explanation of defensive weapons and the logic behind Moscow’s move.
According to a statement released by the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin “gave a detailed explanation of the logic behind Russia’s decision…emphasizing the fact that the tactical and technical specifications of the S-300 system make it a purely defensive weapon; therefore, it would not pose any threat to the security of Israel or other countries in the Middle East.”
The assurances do not appear to have had the desired effect. In a statement released by his office, the Israeli PM expressed “grave concerns regarding the decision,” and told Russia’s president that this step“will only encourage Iranian aggression in the region and further undermine the stability of the Middle East.”

Russia signed an $800 million deal in 2007 to ship five S-300 divisions, which are composed of radars and multiple interception missile launchers, only to postpone the deal three years later, during the presidency of Dmitry Medvedev.
It was done as a sign of solidarity with Western partners who were imposing increasingly tough sanctions against the Islamic Republic – the missile systems themselves were never on the international sanctions list.
The reversal comes amid major progress in the negotiation framework between Iran and six leading world powers over the regulation of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, which should produce a final deal this summer.
Moscow believes at this stage there is “no longer need for this kind of embargo,” Russian FM Sergey Lavrov said, reiterating that “from the Russian side it was unilateral and voluntary.” Russia has also started supplying grain, equipment and construction materials to Iran in exchange for crude oil under the so-called “oil-for-goods” barter deal, which had earlier sparked dissatisfaction in the West.


The US officials also seemed displeased with Russia’s latest “non-constructive” moves, with State Department spokesperson Marie Harf however admitting that it did not violate any international norms. “We don’t believe it’s constructive at this time for Russia to move forward with this,” she said, adding that Secretary Kerry had voiced his concerns too.
For its part of the future deal with Iran, the West is promising it will drop some of its sanctions against Tehran – particularly in the oil and financial sectors. However on Tuesday the German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned that it was important to wait until the Iranians fulfill their side of the bargain.
“I’ve told some US senators that they should not now try to unnecessarily impede further negotiations,” he told the media when asked about Russia’s contract in Lubeck in Germany on Tuesday. “But I’ll also say that it is also too early to talk about rewards at this stage.”


This article was posted: Wednesday, April 15, 2015 at 5:17 am