Iran’s Advanced Missile Threat
Last week, we blogged that Iran asked Russia to honor their agreement to sell Iran S-300 missiles. The former Soviet Union previously denied such an agreement, but Iran’s Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi (pictured) said, “we have a contract with Russia and I do not think it would be suitable for Russia to be seen as an uncertain partner in the world.”
Israel believes Iran would use the missiles to protect its nuclear facilities from air strikes.
UPI reports that the rogue state is growing angrier over Russia’s delay, threatening to make its own advanced missile system. “Iran is not a country to come to a halt in the face of non-cooperation of other countries,” said Alaeddin Bouroujerdi, a senior Iranian lawmaker.
Is Russia delaying because of pressure from the West? We’re skeptical. The reasons for the delay probably are more cynical than that. Russia doesn’t seem too concerned about what other countries think. Russia has not only refused to issue tougher sanctions against Iran, but it’s selling weapons to Iran. With this sort of boldness, why would Russia care what any country thinks? That country’s leaders managed to convince the leader of the free world to cancel plans to deploy missile shields to Poland and the Czech Republic, a move that would have protected the region from Iran.
Russia’s calling the shots. The reason for the delay probably has little to do with “pressure from the West.”
