The Times of India http://www1.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
> World> Rest of World> Russia to sell defence systems to Iran http://www1.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1577127.cms Saturday, May 27, 2006 AGENCIES MOSCOW: Russia will fulfill a contract to supply its sophisticated Tor-M1 air defence systems to Iran, the Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov said Friday. According to the Itar-Tass news agency Ivanov, who is also vice prime minister, made the announcement after talks with the visiting German Defence Minister Franz Josef Yung in St. Petersburg. "Russia has signed a contract with Iran for the supply of Tor-M1 close-range air defence systems," he said. "The contract will undoubtedly be fulfilled if no major factors interfere." Up to 30 Tor-M1 units will be used to defend key military and nuclear facilities in Isfahan, Bushehr and Tehran and in the east of the country. The contract, worth $1.4 billion, is the biggest arms deal Iran and Russia have ever made. Ivanov ruled out the possibility of terrorists using the Tor-M1 air defence systems, saying, "By its technical parameters, the system cannot be used for terrorist activities." "Russia is lagging far behind other countries in the volume of weapons supply to the Middle East," he added. The Tor-M1 unit is an all-weather air defence system intended for fulfilling air defence tasks at the battalion unit level. Copyright ©2006Times Internet Limited.
