Iran holds talks with Russia over missile defense upgrade
Iran negotiated with Russia at the weekend over buying an upgraded version of the S-300 surface-to-air missile defense system, which it requires to meet its military needs, a foreign ministry spokesman in Tehran was quoted as saying.
Iran was blocked from obtaining the S-300 before it reached a deal with world powers last July on curbing its nuclear program, with Russia having cancelled a contract to deliver an older version of the system in 2010 under pressure from the West. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Tehran on Sunday. Commenting on the visit, ministry spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari told state news agency IRNA: "Iran is negotiating with Russia for providing its military needs... One of the main issues is buying the next-generation S-300 missile system."
