Iran successfully tests S-300 missile system

The Iranian Fars news agency reported on Sunday that the missile system successfully detected, tracked, and intercepted a ballistic missile during the test launch. 
 
The test-firing was conducted in the presence of several military and government officials at a shooting range in one of the country’s defense units, whose location was not publicized.
 
The military exercise was carried out with the aim of analyzing the performance of the S-300 system, assessing the capability of the system in engaging targets with a low radar cross section and ballistic missile threats as well as the ability of Iranian officers to use the system.
 
Russia committed to delivering the S-300 systems to Tehran under an 800-million-dollar deal in 2007 but stopped the process in 2010, citing the fourth round of the UN Security Council sanctions, which barred hi-tech weapons sales to the Islamic Republic.
 
Moscow’s move prompted Iran to file a complaint against the relevant Russian arms manufacturer with the International Court of Arbitration in Geneva. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin lifted the ban on the delivery of the S-300 in April 2015 and months later, Tehran dropped the lawsuit against Moscow.
 
In October 2016, Moscow said that it had concluded the delivery of the S-300 systems to Iran.
 
‘Iran developing own version of S-300’
 
Meanwhile, Brigadier General Farzad Esmaili, the commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Base, told the IRIB news agency that the Islamic Republic was now designing and manufacturing an indigenous version of the S-300 system, called Bavar-373, due to be tested “in the near future.”
 
Brig. Gen. Esmaili said Bavar-373 would be more technologically advanced than S-300.
 
The Islamic Republic maintains that its military power poses no threat to other countries and that its military doctrine is based on deterrence only.