Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov has confirmed that Russia has delivered missiles to Iran.
From Reuters
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia has delivered new anti-aircraft missile systems to Iran and will consider further requests by Tehran for defensive weapons, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said on Tuesday.
“We have supplied the modern short-range anti-aircraft systems TOR-M1 in accordance with our contracts,” Ivanov told reporters. “Iran is not under sanctions and if it wants to buy defensive … equipment for its armed forces then why not?”
A defense ministry source later told Reuters deliveries of hardware under the $1 billion deal, which has been criticised by the West, have not yet been completed.
Washington and Israel have criticised the contract to supply the TOR-M1 missiles to Iran, saying Tehran could use them against its neighbors.
Late last year Russia reluctantly joined U.N. sanctions against Iran, which introduced restrictions on Iran’s trade in sensitive nuclear materials and technology, aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
But Moscow says the sanctions do not apply to the missiles.
The Russian military insists that the missile systems will protect Iran from air attacks, but do not pose a threat to neighboring countries.
Last year Russia dropped the idea of selling longer-range S300 anti-aircraft missiles to Iran.
However, Washington imposed sanctions against four Russian arms firms for selling weapons to Iran and Syria.
Ahmadinejad has repeated told us that he intends to destroy the United States and Israel. He has thumbed his nose at the United Nations weak, toothless sanctions. He has worked to build alliances with other’s who would see the United States and/or Israel destroyed. He has never once hidden his intentions or his complete contempt for the Western world.
But no one seems to be listening.
He has told us his religious paradigm requires him to create chaos in order to pave the way for the return of the 12th Iman. By paying just a little bit of attention, it is apparent that most of the chaos in Iraq is as a result of the interference of Iran.
Ahmadinejad is building preparing his offensive while America sleeps.
I have often wondered why so many people in our country seem to completely ignore his warnings. Our representatives stay busy posturing for the cameras, spend more time criticizing the United States and jockeying for positions of power than paying attention to our enemies.
The feint of heart are everywhere and I keep wondering why they seem completely oblivious to this building threat.
Then it occurred to me - they don’t know that we could be defeated. They really don’t know that the way we live is not guaranteed. There are many people who think that the way it is, is the way it always has been and always will be.
We have two generations who have been raised on Dr. Spock and don’t understand that beyond our borders there are people who will not be sensitive to their feelings or bend over backwards to be ‘fair’ and ‘understanding’.
America has been strong for a long time, but it has not been strong without effort and sacrifice. I still believe that America can be strong. I just have begun to think that most people don’t understand that our way of life can be taken away in the flash of a light.
They underestimate the enemy - and that is always a very dangerous thing to do.
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linked: STACLU
August 24th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
[...] Dmitry Medvedev, and the Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin. Its not secret that Russia has shared nuclear technology with Iran. The only thing standing between Iran and Russia is, coincidentally, [...]
January 10th, 2009 at 2:06 am
How can I agree with your stupid one-sided criticism of Iran. If someone hates Israel, United States and any country for that matter you need to find out why.
For your information the stupid USA foreign policy has not only earned her hatred across the Arab and Muslim world but across nations in South America,Africa and Asia.When President elect Obama visited Berlin the reception he received underscores Europe hatred for America.
How do you want Iran to behave after your lies about Iraq’s WMDs?It is only a fool who does not prepare seeing his friend’s house in flames. Israel receives 3 billions dollars a year free of charge from the US with no condition as to how she should spend it and what do we see? The money is used to build missiles and bombs that are being used to commit war crimes against the people of Palestine. And because United States is holding UN hostage the world body cannot act.
Israel should be weary of USA and the Europeans your so called western allies because for 2000 years Europeans massacred, tortured and looted Jews living in Europe. These atrocities continued and culminated in the holocaust that ended in 1945. If you do not know your history then start learning. Instead of US encouraging Israel to live in peace with her neighbours who are her cousins (Isaac and Ishmael were Abraham’s children), the US through her blinded foreign policy has made Israel his cousins enemy.