Iran to Upgrade Ballistic Missiles, Get Russian Defense System

Iranian Defense Minister, Hussein Dehghan, said his country will unveil an upgrade of its Emad ballistic missiles this year, advancing a program that has been controversial according to the United Nations, drawing sanctions from the United States.

Furthermore, Dehghan added that the Islamic Republic would also start taking delivery of an advanced Russian S-300 surface-to-air missile defense system in the next two months, which was blocked before a landmark nuclear deal with world powers.

Relatively, Tehran agreed the deal on curbing its nuclear work in July last year and international sanctions were lifted in January.

The Emad missile was first tested in Iran in October. With improved accuracy over its existing arsenal, Iran expects the new missile will be an important part of its conventional deterrent.

However, Dehghan explained that: "The Emad missile is not a violation of the nuclear deal or any UN resolution since we will never use a nuclear warhead. It's an allegation," he said, adding that mass production would begin in the near future.

Also according to Dehghan, Iran is due to start taking delivery of the S-300 missiles system from Russia in the next two months, and the order would be completed by the end of the year.

Tehran and Moscow started talks on the supply of the Russian-made Sukhoi-30 fighter jets to Iran.
"We have even decided on the number of Sukhoi-30 fighter jets that we want to buy."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team