Iran will put into operation its domestically-designed version of the sophisticated Russian S-300 missile defense system, dubbed the Bavar 373, in the near future, a senior commander said Monday, adding that the two systems play complementary roles.
“The radar and missile defense system, Bavar 373, is a powerful and fully indigenous supplement to the S-300 defense system which will be put into operation soon,” Commander of Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Base Lieutenant General Farzad Esmaeili said.
“The S-300 and Bavar 373 systems will be rather lethal for the enemy,” he stressed, according to Fars News Agency.
Noting that Iran is also building two other defense systems named Talash 2 and Talash 3, Esmaeili said the country wil have no need for the Russian S-400s. Russia has recently delivered the main components of the S-300 missile system to Iran under a contract on the purchase of several battalions of the defense weapon, and has offered to supply Iran with the more advanced S-400.
In related news, Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan said last week the S-300 is enough to defend the country against high-altitude threats, and that Tehran does not intend to purchase the S-400.
“We produce [defense] systems at three levels to meet the country’s air defense and security needs. We had some imperfections in [defending the country against the] high altitude [threats] which were removed by acquiring the S-300,” Dehqan told the press in Isfahan.
Asked if Iran was also seeking the S-400 missile system from Russia, he said, “We don’t need to buy another system and can meet our needs by production [of homemade defense systems].”
Earlier this month, the Defense Ministry held a ceremony to display the Bavar 373 missile shield in the presence of President Hassan Rouhani.
