The question is stated as delivery of a "S-300 or S-400 missile system." A "system" requires all the major operational components to be delivered (search radar, targeting radar, missile launcher, command post, etc.). Regarding hiding the system, while I agree that generally you don't want to give away the exact location of your military assets, it is important to credibly signal your enemies if you expect to deter them. Most of the Iranian comments to this point are probably inward directed, to create a sense of strength in the aftermath of the nuclear deal with the West. Outward directed statements (to Israel) will come when the system is actually functioning.
https://www.rt.com/news/335207-s300-iran-delivery-chemezov/ "Russian S-300 air defense missile systems will be shipped to Iran in August or September of this year. The contract was renewed in 2015 after international sanctions against Tehran were lifted following a nuclear deal signed with world powers.
The delivery of the first vehicles of the S-300 complex will be made in about half a year’s time, Sergey Chemezov, the head of the Russian state-owned high-tech giant Rostec, told RIA Novosti.
According to the Rostec chief, the delivery will be completed by the end of 2016.
He also said that the delay was caused by Tehran’s $4 billion lawsuit against Russia’s arms export agency, Rosoboronexport, at an international court in Geneva, which was filed in 2010 and is still active.
“We have agreed [with the Iranians] that the lawsuit will be withdrawn immediately after the first batch is delivered,” Chemezov explained."
I doubt it had anything to do with mollifying Israel.
The Israeli's apparently supplied proof that prior missiles that Russia had supplied to Iran had found their way to Syria. The Russians likely don't want anyone else to have S300s in that theater of war.
Good point, @jeremylichtman. Another issue: RT is infamously unreliable, a troll engine funded by Putin et al. So when we read stories from RT, what we really can learn is what Putin wants us to believe. Why, that's another issue.
I think we will deliver the S-300 by the end of the year.
But the S-300 PMU-1 that you agreed to sell Iran isn’t produced anymore, correct?
Essentially, it’s the last system that we will deliver, and then yes, after that it probably won’t be produced anymore.
So it will definitely be a PMU-1?
Yes, they gave the conditions, and said they need only an S-300 PMU-1. We suggested an Antey-2500, but they said no, give us the S-300. So, OK.
Why is it taking so long to deliver?
You see, there are still court deliberations going on in Geneva. We agreed, they promised that they would drop their claim once we make the first delivery. The first delivery will be in September or August.
We’ve all written about this so much, it’s hard to believe it’ll actually happen.
@austerity Thanks for the WSJ link! Now if only they would reactivate this question in a forecastable manner so we could focus on figuring out, will they or won't they: the arms traffic soap opera:) If you would like to chew over some of the more interesting questions offline, many of the folks in this long, long thread are communicating via email. carolyn.meinel@cmeinel.com.
Regarding RT reliability: It delivers press releases from the Kremlin. Knowing what the Kremlin wants us to believe is useful information, appropriately categorized.
Reaffirming my forecast.
The question is stated as delivery of a "S-300 or S-400 missile system." A "system" requires all the major operational components to be delivered (search radar, targeting radar, missile launcher, command post, etc.). Regarding hiding the system, while I agree that generally you don't want to give away the exact location of your military assets, it is important to credibly signal your enemies if you expect to deter them. Most of the Iranian comments to this point are probably inward directed, to create a sense of strength in the aftermath of the nuclear deal with the West. Outward directed statements (to Israel) will come when the system is actually functioning.
Let's not forget this little canard: https://wikileaks.org/IMG/pdf/The_Stratfor_Glossary_of_Useful_Baffling_and_Strange_Intelligence_Terms.pdf
Good to see Boyko Borissov still in there pitching though
https://www.rt.com/news/335207-s300-iran-delivery-chemezov/
"Russian S-300 air defense missile systems will be shipped to Iran in August or September of this year. The contract was renewed in 2015 after international sanctions against Tehran were lifted following a nuclear deal signed with world powers.
The delivery of the first vehicles of the S-300 complex will be made in about half a year’s time, Sergey Chemezov, the head of the Russian state-owned high-tech giant Rostec, told RIA Novosti.
According to the Rostec chief, the delivery will be completed by the end of 2016.
He also said that the delay was caused by Tehran’s $4 billion lawsuit against Russia’s arms export agency, Rosoboronexport, at an international court in Geneva, which was filed in 2010 and is still active.
“We have agreed [with the Iranians] that the lawsuit will be withdrawn immediately after the first batch is delivered,” Chemezov explained."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7KBIMFlRRY
@kmcochran, can you please reschedule this question, rephrasing it so that it satisifies all of the caveats that have arisen in this 25-page thread?
So what did Vladdy do to mollify the Israeli's?
cc: @Phronesis
I doubt it had anything to do with mollifying Israel.
The Israeli's apparently supplied proof that prior missiles that Russia had supplied to Iran had found their way to Syria. The Russians likely don't want anyone else to have S300s in that theater of war.
Good point, @jeremylichtman. Another issue: RT is infamously unreliable, a troll engine funded by Putin et al. So when we read stories from RT, what we really can learn is what Putin wants us to believe. Why, that's another issue.
@cmeneil the original source is Chemezov's interview with WSJ, although the point about "what Putin wants us to believe" still stands:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/wsj-q-a-with-sergei-chemezov-1457657218
"When will Iran received the S-300 [air-defense system]?
I think we will deliver the S-300 by the end of the year.
But the S-300 PMU-1 that you agreed to sell Iran isn’t produced anymore, correct?
Essentially, it’s the last system that we will deliver, and then yes, after that it probably won’t be produced anymore.
So it will definitely be a PMU-1?
Yes, they gave the conditions, and said they need only an S-300 PMU-1. We suggested an Antey-2500, but they said no, give us the S-300. So, OK.
Why is it taking so long to deliver?
You see, there are still court deliberations going on in Geneva. We agreed, they promised that they would drop their claim once we make the first delivery. The first delivery will be in September or August.
We’ve all written about this so much, it’s hard to believe it’ll actually happen.
It will happen."
@austerity Thanks for the WSJ link! Now if only they would reactivate this question in a forecastable manner so we could focus on figuring out, will they or won't they: the arms traffic soap opera:) If you would like to chew over some of the more interesting questions offline, many of the folks in this long, long thread are communicating via email. carolyn.meinel@cmeinel.com.
Regarding RT reliability: It delivers press releases from the Kremlin. Knowing what the Kremlin wants us to believe is useful information, appropriately categorized.
@GL2184 I think Jeremylichtman has it right... No mollifying. More embarrassment.