Russia reportedly started delivery of S-300PMU-2 air defense systems to Iran 22411152.

Earlier this month, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehghan said that Iran would receive Russia’s S-300 air defense missile systems by the end of the year that, according to the Iranian calendar, ends on March 20, 2016. "Iran will get the Russian S-300 ‘ground-to-air’ antiaircraft defense missile systems by March 2016," he was quoted by the Press TV.

Dehghan added that Iran will get "the better part" of the missile systems’ batch in less than two months. The minister also said that "Iran bought as many S-300 air defence missile systems as it needs." In addition, according to the minister, the Iranian military are currently undergoing training in Russia in the use of the systems.

Sergey Chemezov, the head of state hi-tech corporation Rostec, which integrates Rosoboronexport state arms seller, said previously that Russia’s contract for the delivery of S-300 air defence missile systems to Iran has been signed and came into force on November 9. "The contract on S-300 systems has been signed," Chemezov said, without specifying the modification of antiaircraft missile systems that would be delivered to Iran. "I believe that Iran will withdraw its claims to us, when the first part [of the contract] is completed," the Rostec CEO said.

Russia and Iran signed a contract in 2007 for the supply of five S-300PMU-1 battalions but in the autumn of 2010 then-President Dmitry Medvedev banned the supply of these systems to Teheran. The contract worth more than $800 million was annulled and the paid advance was returned to Iran. Iran filed an almost $4 billion lawsuit against Russia at the Geneva Court of Arbitration over Russia’s nonfulfillment of the contract.

In the spring of 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin lifted the ban on the supply of S-300 systems to Teheran.

The Russian news agency TASS learned at the Dubai Airshow 2015 international aerospace exhibition that Iran will get the S-300PMU-2 version of the air defense system.

The S-300 is a series of Russian long range surface-to-air missile systems produced by NPO Almaz, all based on the initial S-300P version. The S-300 system was developed to defend against aircraft and cruise missiles for the Soviet Air Defence Forces. Subsequent variations were developed to intercept ballistic missiles. The S-300 system was first deployed by the Soviet Union in 1979, designed for the air defense of large industrial and administrative facilities, military bases, and control of airspace against enemy strike aircraft.