Posted on 12/04/2005 5:44:56 PM PST by DoctorZIn
Top News Story
Iran and Russia sign $1 bln defence deal - reports
Fri Dec 2, 2005 2:11 PM GMT
By Meg Clothier
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia plans to sell more than $1 billion worth of tactical surface-to-air missiles and other defence hardware to Iran, media reported on Friday.
Moscow is already at odds with the West over its nuclear ties with Tehran but has sought to use its warm relations with Iran to be recognised as a key mediator between the West and the Islamic Republic.
The Vedomosti business daily cited military sources as saying Iran would buy 29 TOR-M1 systems designed to bring down aircraft and guided missiles at low altitudes.
The paper, calling it the biggest sale of Russian defence hardware to Iran for about five years, said Moscow and Tehran had already signed the contract.
Interfax news agency separately quoted a source as saying the deal, which would also include modernising Iran's air force and supplying some patrol boats, was worth more than $1 billion.
The move, likely to irritate Israel and the United States, could strain Moscow's efforts to broker a deal between Iran and European negotiators aimed at breaking a deadlock over Tehran's nuclear programme.
Israel in particular is nervous about Iran's military potential after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in October that Israel should be "wiped off the map" -- comments condemned by Russia at the time.
Russia's Defence Ministry declined to comment on the deal. Officials at state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, Russia's state defence supplier, were not available for comment.
Western countries suspect Iran of seeking nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian atomic programme, which Tehran denies, saying it wants only to generate electricity.
Russia has helped Iran build its first nuclear reactor and is preparing to launch it next year. Some in the West fear that Iran could use Russian know-how to make sensitive weapons.
The defence industry source told Interfax there were no international restrictions on selling weapons to Iran.
"Moreover, practically all the weapons that Russia is delivering to Iran in the coming years are defensive rather than offensive in character," the source said.
One Western diplomat who closely watches Russia-Iran dealings said news of the deal was alarming and would further increase tensions.
"Russia has long positioned itself as a major peace broker between Iran and the West -- and all of a sudden they are throwing this bombshell. It just does not make any sense," said the diplomat, who asked to remain anonymous.
(Additional reporting by Maria Golovnina)
- Iran Focus reported that the Supreme Commander of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) reaffirmed his force’s “solid support” for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
- Iran Focus reported that senior Iranian Ayatollah Jannati recently said that Iran owed its “victory” in the international stand-off over its suspected nuclear weapons program to its para-military Bassij.
- Caroline Glick, The Jerusalem Post reported the cost of the international communities incompetence on the Iran issue. She cited this blog.
- Amir Taheri, The New York Post reported that having tried to undermine the Iraqi attempt at building a democracy, the Arab League is sending signals that it may be changing the foredoomed policy it has pursued for almost three years.
- PakTribune reported that El Baradei said a meeting with A Q Khan is vital to solve Iran nuclear puzzle.
- Stratfor weighed in on an apparent shift in Israel's Iran policy.
- Dow Jones Newswires reported that German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier traveled to Moscow Saturday for talks with Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin on topics including Iran's disputed nuclear program.
- Ron Kampeas, JTA News reported that with time short on Iran nukes, AIPAC criticized the Bush approach.
- MSNBC reported that Israel carried out a successful test of its missile-interceptor system, an Arrow II missile downed an incoming rocket designed to simulate an Iranian Shahab-3.
- Gerald M. Steinberg, Jerusalem Issue Brief examined: Can Diplomacy Still Prevent Iran from Going Nuclear?
- And finally, Amy K. Rosenthal, The Weekly Standard argued that Italy is getting tough on Iran.
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So let me get this straight... $1 billion in defense purchases, plus 20 new nuclear reactors (previous story)???
Wow... they must be intoxicated with the smell of $70 / barrel oil....
Russia contuniues to do everything in its power to undermine the security of the entire world. I hope Iran uses the nuclear weapons--that it will inevitably develop-- to destroy Russia.
The media is trying to frame this deal as defensive but has consistently glossed over the domestic missile programs being developed in underground tunnels outside of Tehran. When seen in combination with the Iranian governments' offensive weaponization programs and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenie’s drive to put full control of the country in the hands of the most militant former members of the Revolutionary Guard, this is fully consistent with preparations for an offensive war. Rebuffing U.S. requests for ambassadorial meetings is yet another indicator from Iranian officials that they want to take this crisis to its logical conclusion. If anything, this just speeds up the timetable again to facilitate sustentative change in Iran… Could this get any crazier?
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WW III would give them another shot at being big shots again.
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