Iran Supreme Leader Aide Notes Lack of Obstacles in Arms Deals With Russia

Ali Akbar Velayati, top adviser to the Supreme Leader of Iran on international affairs, said on Wednesday there were no serious setbacks to the transfer of military equipment from Russia to the Islamic Republic.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Velayati underscored that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, on his visit to Tehran in February, expressed Moscow’s stance to uphold its commitments in the sale of missile systems and other armaments.

"I do not see any major obstacles to the transfer of defense objects from Russia to Iran. Russia intends to execute its agreements in this field," Velayati said as quoted by the IRNA news service.

The $900-million Russia-Iran contract to deliver five Russian S-300 systems to Iran was signed in 2007. It was suspended with the adoption of UN Security Council sanctions on Iran in mid-2010, then lifted by Russian President Vladimir Putin in April 2015 following a framework agreement on the landmark deal ensuring the peaceful nature of Tehran’s nuclear program.

Russia and Iran are expected to fulfill the S-300 contracts in 2016. Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Hassan Firouzabadi said in February that Tehran would soon announce the dates of the deliveries.

An Iranian Defense Ministry source confirmed to Sputnik on Wednesday there were no problems with the delivery, noting work underway to resolve the remaining technical issues.