The Russian Tor-M1 air defense missile systems have been delivered to Iran in accordance with norms of the international law, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said on Friday.

"Military technical cooperation of Russia and Iran is accomplished on the basis of international legislation and on the basis of bilateral contacts," Kamynin was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying.

"The deliveries have been made in accordance with a bilateral contract and with consideration for the fact that Iran is not under sanctions that unequivocally ban exports of such weapons to the country," he said.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said on Jan. 16 that exports of the Tor-M1 systems did not violate UN resolutions related with sanctions against Iran.

"We proceed from international rules and develop military technical cooperation with this country. If Iran will need defensive weapons, we are ready for such cooperation," Ivanov said.

Russia and Iran signed a 700 million U.S. dollars contract for the delivery of 29 Tor-M1 air defense missile systems in 2005.

The spokesman of U.S. Department of State Sean McCormack said earlier that Washington had notified the Russian authorities of its dissatisfaction over the deliveries of air defense systems to Iran.

According to Russian media, Tor-M1 is touted as the only system in the world capable of detecting and tracking up to 48 targets simultaneously and engaging two of them simultaneously at a height of 20 to 6,000 meters.

Tor-M1 systems are intended to protect vital administrative, economic and military facilities and the first echelons of ground units from anti-radar and cruise missiles, remote-controlled aircraft, glide bombs, airplanes and helicopters, including those using the stealth technology.

Source: Xinhua