Russia Confirms Sale of Tor-M1 Air Defense Missiles to Iran
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Associated Press
MOSCOW — Russia's defense minister said Tuesday that Russia has sold Tor-M1 air defense missile systems to Iran. It was the first high-level confirmation that such a sale took place.
"We sent Tor-M1 missiles to Iran in accordance with the contract," Sergei Ivanov told reporters.
Previous reports had cited unnamed officials reporting the sale.
Ivanov did not specify how many missile systems had been delivered, but a ministry official speaking on condition of anonymity said not all the systems contracted for had been delivered.
Ministry officials have previously said Moscow would supply 29 of the sophisticated missile systems to Iran under a $700 million contract signed in December, according to Russian media reports.
"If the Iranian leadership has a desire to purchase more defense weapons, we would do that," Ivanov said, without elaborating.
The United States called on all countries last year to stop all arms exports to Iran, as well as ending all nuclear cooperation with it to put pressure on Tehran to halt uranium enrichment activities. Israel, too, has severely criticized arms deals with Iran.
Tehran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but the United States and its allies suspect Iran is trying to develop weapons.
The U.N. Security Council, where Russia is a veto-wielding permanent member, is currently stalemated on the severity of sanctions that should be imposed on Iran for defying its demand to cease uranium enrichment.
The Tor-M1 deal, involving conventional weapons, does not violate any international agreements.
Russian officials say that the missiles are purely defensive weapons with a limited range.
The Tor-M1 system can identify up to 48 targets and fire at two targets simultaneously at a height of up to 20,000 feet.
Russian media have reported previously that Moscow had conducted talks on selling even more powerful long-range S-300 air defense missiles, but Russian officials have denied that.
Moscow already has a lucrative, $800 million contract to build Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant, which is nearly complete.
Russia strongly supports Iran's right to nuclear energy but has joined the United States and Europe in demanding it halt enrichment to ease concerns.
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