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Russia tranships missiles to Iran via Belarus
MINSK, Belarus - Russia began delivering advanced anti-aircraft missiles to Belarus on Friday, the Belarusian defense minister said, and he denied a report that the weaponry was destined for Iran.
Russia and Belarus signed an agreement last year on the delivery of the latest and most advanced version of Russias S-300SP surface-to-air missile system, capable of shooting down targets some 150 kilometers (90 miles) away.
British defense journal Janes Intelligence Digest, meanwhile, reported in a recent edition that Belarus had agreed to transfer the S-300SP missiles to Iran in order to help it bolster its defenses against any possible US or Israeli air strikes designed to derail what many in the West allege are its efforts to develop nuclear weapons. The report said the agreement had been reached in January when a high-level military and political delegation from Tehran paid a low-key visit to Minsk. The journal asserted that Moscow had chosen an indirect way of supplying the missiles to allow it to avoid tarnishing its international reputation.
| Yaaassss, we wouldn't want to tarnish the Russers, now would we? |
Russia has already agreed to supply sophisticated Tor-M1 air defense missile systems to Iran.
I have no intention of commenting on this nonsense, Defense Minister Leonid Maltsev told reporters in Minsk. Under the contract for the delivery of the S-300s from Russia, Belarus does not have the right to transfer these systems anywhere else.
| Not that it will stop you if the price is right ... |
Iranian Commerce Minister Masud Mir-Kazemi, who headed a trade delegation that traveled to Minsk, also denied that Tehran wanted to acquire the Russian S-300 missiles. The question of deliveries of S-300 systems wasnt discussed. From the viewpoint of military technology, we are self-sufficient and there is no need for us to consider buying weapons abroad, told reporters.
| "Iranian high-tech weapons are the envy of the world!" he added over the laughter of the reporters present. |
Belarus, whose regime is increasingly isolated by the West, has developed close ties with Iran, whose president, then Mohammad Khatami, visited this ex-Soviet republic in 2004 and signed a package of agreements including a security deal.
Posted by: Steve White 2006-04-22 |
