TEHRAN – MP Mohammad Karami-Rad has stated that the West is afraid that Iran may reverse-engineer the S-300 missile system.

The Westerners are afraid that Iran may begin producing its own version of the S-300 missile system and thus increase its military might, he said on Saturday.
Karami-Rad, who is also a member of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said that certain Western countries are trying to scupper contracts signed by Tehran and Moscow, which should have been implemented six months ago.
The MP advised Russian officials to not allow the Westerners to undermine ties between Tehran and Moscow.
West impeding delivery of S-300 missiles
MP Hassan Sobhaninia says that the West is impeding the delivery of S-300 missiles to Iran.
“The United States and certain Western countries are afraid that the contracts between Iran and Russia in the economic, political, and military spheres will increase Iran’s political and military might. Thus, they are making efforts to impede the implementation of these contracts,” Sobhaninia told the Mehr News Agency on Saturday.
The Islamic Republic of Iran can greatly enhance its military might with these missiles, and this has made Westerners worried, said the MP, who is a member of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee.
Sobhaninia also stated that Iran and Russia are cooperating on a variety of issues, including civilian nuclear technology.
The S-300 system, which can track targets and fire at aircraft 120 kilometers (75 miles) away, features high jamming immunity and is able to simultaneously engage up to 100 targets.
The truck-mounted S-300PMU1, known in the West as the SA-20, can shoot down cruise missiles and aircraft. It can fire at targets up to 150 km (90 miles) away and travel at more than two km per second.
Russia’s image would be tarnished by delay in delivery of S-300 system
The Iranian chairman of the Iran-Russia Parliamentary Friendship Group stated that a delay in delivering the S-300 missiles would tarnish Russia’s image in Iran.
MP Mahdi Sanaei made the remarks in an interview with ISNA on Saturday.
He stated that other countries will no longer trust Russia if it does not fulfill its commitments in regard to the contract for the S-300 system.
Iran should not put all its eggs in one basket in its foreign policy by relying too much on Russia because Russia is not dependable, Sanaei added.
Moscow should heed public opinion in Iran
Political analyst and university professor Mahdi Motahharnia has said that Russia should not be indifferent to public opinion in Iran.
“If Russia is concerned about its long-term interests in the region, it should not be indifferent to public opinion in Iran about its policies on Iran,” he told ISNA on Saturday.
Motahharnia stated that public opinion in Iran has become sensitive to Russia’s policies on Iran, and more and more Iranians are beginning to believe that Russia is not honest in its dealings with Iran.
Iran will be able to produce S-300 missiles in near future
Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Chairman Alaeddin Boroujerdi has said that Iran will be able to produce S-300 missiles in the near future.
Nevertheless, the Russians should still fulfill their commitments, he told the Mehr News Agency on Saturday.
He also urged Russia to fulfill its commitments and to stop delaying the delivery of S-300 missiles to Iran.
Boroujerdi stated that he recently had a meeting with the Russian ambassador to Iran and the ambassador agreed that both sides should fulfill their commitments.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the MP said that Russia should also complete the Bushehr nuclear power plant by the end of the Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2010)