* Defence system in place of S-300 Russia refused to sell
* Iran upgrading weapons systems, holding drills to show
defence readiness
* Israel warns time running out to halt Iran nuclear
programme
DUBAI, Sept 3 (Reuters) – Iran has built about 30 percent of
a missile defence system it is developing in place of the
Russian S-300 system Moscow refused to sell it, and hopes to
complete the system by next year, a senior military official
said on Monday.
Farzad Esmaili, commander of the army’s air defence force,
also reiterated that Iran will hold a large-scale air defence
exercise in the next two months covering the whole country, the
Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) reported.
Iran, under mounting pressure from Israel and Western powers
over its controversial nuclear programme, has unveiled upgrades
to weapons systems and held several military exercises this year
to demonstrate its ability to defend itself.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged world powers
on Sunday to make clear to Tehran that they would not let it
obtain nuclear arms. Israeli rhetoric has stoked speculation
that Israel might attack Iran’s nuclear sites, some buried deep
underground, before the U.S. presidential election in November.
Western powers suspect Iran of trying to develop a nuclear
weapons capability and have imposed several rounds of sanctions
on it, but Tehran says its nuclear programme is for purely
peaceful purposes and refuses to suspend it.
ISNA quoted Esmaili on Monday as saying Iran would test its
air defence systems in mid-to-late October or early November.
“We will use whatever we have in order to defend Iran,”
Esmaili said. “Today the main threat is an air threat, because
it achieves quick results, therefore it was felt it was
necessary that air defences work independently.”
“One of our missions is being vigilant over sensitive
centres like refineries and nuclear sites,” Esmaili said.
“A new, more advanced system with higher capabilities than
the S-300 in detecting, identifying and destroying targets is
pending,” ISNA quoted Esmaili as saying. “About 30 percent of
the work related to building the Bavar-373 has been completed
and we will make efforts so that we can announce the completion
of this project by next year.”
Moscow refused to sell the sophisticated S-300 system to
Iran on the ground that it would violate expanded U.N. sanctions
imposed over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Iran announced in November 2010 that it had adapted another
Russian-made missile system to perform more like the S-300, a
precision, mobile, long-range air defence system that can
detect, track and destroy ballistic missiles, cruise missiles,
and low-flying aircraft.
Military experts have cast doubt on Iran’s claims of weapons
advances, especially regarding its missile programme, saying
they are often exaggerated.
On Sunday, deputy defence minister Mohammad Eslami said
plans were afoot to install missiles on long-distance unmanned
drones that featured in missile tests earlier this year.
Authorities say the Karrar drone, unveiled in 2010, has a
range of 1,000 kms (625 miles) and can carry a single cruise
missile or several smaller missiles.
