TEHRAN/TOKYO (Agencies)
Iran has obtained four S-300 surface-to-air missiles despite Russia's refusal to deliver them to Tehran under a valid contract, a semiofficial Iranian news agency claimed Wednesday.
The Fars news agency, which has ties to Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard, Iran's most powerful military force, said Iran received two missiles from Belarus and two others from another unspecified source.
Fars didn't elaborate, and there was no immediate official confirmation of the report.
Russia signed a contract in 2007 to sell S-300 missiles to Iran, a move that would have substantially boosted the country's defense capacities. Israel fears that supplying S-300s to Iran would change the military balance in the Middle East.
" Iran possesses four S-300 PT missiles "
Fars news agencyThe S-300 anti-aircraft missile defense system is capable of shooting down aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missile warheads at ranges of over 90 miles (144 kilometers) and at altitudes of about 90,000 feet (27,432 meters).
Russia said in June that the new tough U.N. Security Council sanctions against Iran prevent Russia from delivering the missiles to Iran but Iran has insisted that Moscow is under an obligation to carry out the contract to provide the S-300 missiles to Tehran.
"Iran possesses four S-300 PT missiles," Fars reported.
The agency said Iran's possession of the missiles was revealed for the first time last year by Al-Menar TV, which is affiliated the Iranian-backed Islamic militant Hezbollah group in Lebanon. Fars said Iranian government officials never denied the report.
It added that Iran may try to start building the missiles itself.
Russia is in a difficult position in the international standoff with Iran, in part because it does not want to jeopardize decades of political and trade ties with the Islamic republic. Still, Moscow has lately shown increasing frustration with Iran, and last month backed the new sanctions.
Moscow has delivered other anti-aircraft systems to Tehran, such as the Tor-M1, which can hit aerial targets at up to 20,000 feet.
Japan imposes sanctions against Iran
Japan imposes sanctions against Iran
" The government will push ahead with studying measures our country should take so that we will have a conclusion as soon as possible, by the end of August "
Chief Cabinet Secretary Sengoku In the same time, Japan imposed sanctions against Iran over its contentious nuclear program on Tuesday in line with a U.N. resolution and said it plans to announce additional punitive measures later this month.
The cabinet of Prime Minister Naoto Kan announced the steps as the U.S. State Department's special adviser for non-proliferation and arms control Robert Einhorn was headed for Tokyo as part of an East Asian tour.
The measures include an asset freeze on 40 Iranian entities and one individual suspected of being involved in nuclear and missile development.
The U.N. Security Council in June slapped its fourth set of sanctions on Iran over its refusal to halt its uranium enrichment work, part of a nuclear program which many nations fear masks a drive for nuclear weapons.
The United States, European Union, Canada and Australia have also announced additional sanctions, which have been opposed by Russia and China, now Iran's closest trading partner, with major energy interests in the country.
Japan is also considering its own additional sanctions, the top government spokesman Yoshito Sengoku said.
"The government will push ahead with studying measures our country should take so that we will have a conclusion as soon as possible, by the end of August," Chief Cabinet Secretary Sengoku told a press conference.
"We believe we need to address the issue sternly to reach a diplomatic, peaceful solution," he said.
European foreign ministers last week adopted measures targeting Iran's oil and gas industries, going beyond the latest U.N. sanctions.
The EU measures include a ban on the sale of technology and services to Iran's energy sector, hitting activities in refining, liquefied natural gas, exploration and production, and a ban on investments in the energy sector.
Iran insists its nuclear work is only for generating power and other peaceful uses. The U.S. and its allies accuse Iran of using its civilian nuclear program as a cover to develop atomic weapons.
No comments:
Post a Comment