Iran claims to have S-300 surface-to-air missiles
Fars news agency says acquisition of missiles 'changes Iran's geo-political status in Middle East'
A semiofficial Iranian news agency said Iran has obtained four S-300 surface-to-air missiles despite Russia's refusal to deliver them.
The Fars news agency said Wednesday that Iran has obtained two missiles from Belarus and two others from another unspecified source.
"Such advanced and strategic weaponry changes Iran's geo-political status in the Middle East," according to the report.
Russia signed a contract in 2007 to sell the missiles to Iran but said in June that new UN Security Council sanctions against Tehran prevent delivery. The sale would have substantially boosted the country's defense capacities, raising Israeli fears it would tip the military balance in the Middle East.
The defense system would make an Israeli or American attack on Iran's nuclear facilities significantly more difficult to carry out.
