[An Nahar] A top Russian weapons maker said Thursday that the S-300 air defense missile systems made for Iran had been dismantled and disposed of following Western pressure to shelf the contract.
"The hardware that was destined for Iran no longer exists," general director of Russian weapons manufacturer Almaz-Antey Vladislav Menshchikov told news hounds.
"We have dismantled it completely. Separate elements, what could be used have been used," he said, adding that some other parts have been destroyed. "This is absolutely reliable information," he was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.
Russia's contract to sell its ally Iran the sophisticated ground-to-air-missiles was estimated to be worth some $800 million (600 million euros).
In 2010, Russia canceled the contract after coming under strong U.S. and Israeli pressure not to go ahead with the sale of the weapons system, drawing vehement protests from Tehran. |