Russia’s refusal to sell its zenith rocket complexes to Iran can help Moscow establish good relations with Washington and Israel 18.02.09 10:43

Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 17 /corr. Trend News E.Tariverdiyeva / Russia’s refusal to sell its zenith rocket complexes to Iran will help Moscow not only establish good relations with Washington, but also strengthen co-operation with Israel.

“Our refusal to Iran is a signal for Washington, but more considerably this is connected with the fact that we have serious and good relations with Israel,” said Russian military expert Pavel Felgengauer.

To Moscow yesterday arrived the Minister of Defense of Iran [Mostafa] Mohammed [Nadzhzhar] with the three-day visit for the negotiations about the deliveries of Russian armament, first of all air defense weapons.

On Feb. 16, the Minister of Defense of Iran Mostafa Mohammed Nadzhar arrived in Moscow on a three days visit to hold negotiations on delivery of Russian arms.

Teheran is interested in zenith rocket complexes S-300PMU-1, supply agreement on which has already been signed long ago. According to the information, still Russia does not intend to provide these complexes to Iran, since this can prevent the commenced dialogue between Moscow and new U.S. Administration.

Before departure from Teheran, the Minister of Defense of Iran reported that he intended to make a basic accent on the deliveries of Russian air defense arms to Iran.

Experts consider that Russia will unlikely realize deliveries of the promised air defense arms soon, since for one or other reasons, this is not of interest now.

Each state builds relations with other countries within its own interests, and Russia’s refusal to provide the promised air defense arms is in the interests of Russia itself, Bahram Amirahmedyan, Iranian expert on Russia and Caucasus, told TrendNews in a telephone conversation from Tehran.

According to him, now the deployment of the missile defense system in Europe is stopping, and friendship is developing with Washington in the interests of Russia.

“Iran understands this, and this will in no way affect the relations between Russia and Iran,” Amirahmedyan said.

By the recent period, the USA intended to, until 2010, place radar in the Czech Republic and ten interceptor missiles in Poland under the pretext of protection from the rocket threat from Iran. Russia fears that these systems will threaten its security. In the beginning of November, the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev said that as a response to deployment of the American missile defense system in Europe, Russia will place Iskander missile complexes in Kaliningrad region, and also will use radio-electronic suppression of missile defense system. However, after Barack Obama came to power in the USA, more frequently they speak of stopping or canceling the development of the third position region in Europe.

If the Kremlin gives a high priority to repairing relations with the United States, Russia will continue to refuse to sell that system to Tehran—even though a negative decision will anger the Iranian government, U.S. military expert Ted Carpenter said.

“If, on the other hand, Russian leaders have concluded that Washington is not serious about wanting to improve relations, the Kremlin will end its refusal and thereby seek to strengthen its ties with Iran,” Cato Institute defense and foreign policy studies vice president Ted Carpenter wrote to Trend News in an email.

Carpenter said Iran is not in a good bargaining position. “ If Russia blocks the sale, there is little Iranian leaders can do—especially since Tehran remains dependent on Moscow for assistance in other aspects of its defense and needs Moscow to continue blocking robust sanctions measures that the United States and its European allies continue to propose in response to Iran’s nuclear program,” he said.

From a Russian perspective this would not be a good time to announce such a
sale because the government is currently exploring its relationship with the
new Obama Administration, military expert Ian Anthony said.

“Discussions with colleagues from the United States are taking place now or are expected soon on several important topics and this announcement would be a negative complication,” Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Research Coordinator
Ian Anthony wrote to Trend News in an email.

The governmental agreements between the US and its European allies are signed even if they are not yet in force, so it will be difficult for the United States to shut down the missile defense programs that have already been agreed. However, further development of the system would be a very negative signal to Russia, said Anthony.

However, leading Russian military expert Felgengauer said that the refusal to Iran rather proceeded from Russia's desire to strengthen cooperation with Israel.

The deal is rather an agreement between Russia and Israel than between Russia and Washington, said the expert.

Russian Parliamentary Defense Committee member Mikhail Musatov told RIA Novosti in early 2009 that in the next two to three years Russian Armed Forces will procure unmanned aerial vehicles from Israel. Musatov recalled the words of Russian Armed Forces General Staff Chief of Nikolai Makarov and specified that this step is necessary because Russian manufacturers do not have similar reconnaissance aircraft.

Felgengauer said Russia maintains very serious contracts and joint projects with Israel, including purchase of modern weapons. “In recent years, Russia has significantly improved relations with Israel. Purchasing a large consignment of unmanned aerial vehicles is being negotiated” Felgengauer told Trend News in a telephone conversation from Moscow.

A proof is that Moscow had refused to Iran and Syria before Obama Administration came to the White House.

“It is difficult to deal with Iran. The country is endlessly bargaining. Allied relations with Iran did not result in expected partnership. Therefore, Russia now does not want to sell its S-300 to the country,” said Felgengauer.