Iran May Buy Russian Surface-to-Air Missile Complex — Report

Iran and Russia have prepared and approved an agreement project on the purchase of the Russian surface-to-air missile complex Pechora-2A in the second half of 2006.

Pechora-2A can hit the air targets at distances from 3.5 to 38 kilometers and at heights from 0.02 to 20 kilometers, flying at a speed of up to 700 meters per second. The complex was successfully tested at a Middle East firing range, hitting an F-16 fighter and an analogue of a Tomahawk cruise missile.

The complex has a new optic-electronic system that allows it to seek out air targets during daylight and at night. It uses modern missiles and modern protection devices.

The Pechora may provide air security for the Russian-built power plant at Bushehr, the Grani.Ru website reported citing a source in Russia’s Federal Military Technical Cooperation Service.

"Helping Tehran build a power plant, Russia simply must provide security for this object, the destruction of which may cause an ecological disaster for the whole of the Middle East. That is why cooperation with Iran in the area of anti-aircraft systems will be continued," the source said.

Earlier, Russian media said that Moscow had agreed in November to sell $1 billion worth of weapons to Iran, including up to 30 Tor-M1 missile systems over the next two years. Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said a contract for the delivery of Tor air defense missiles to Iran had been signed.