Iran building its own anti-aircraft missile system

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran is building its own advanced anti-aircraft missile system, after Russia wouldn't sell it one, a top commander of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard said Wednesday.

Gen. Mohammad Hasan Mansourian said Iran will soon test its own version of the S-300 missile system, which is still being developed at military industrial sites, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Mansourian's comments come after Russia banned all sales of S-300 missile systems to Iran, citing the latest round of tough U.N. sanctions.

Russia signed a 2007 contract to sell the sophisticated systems that would have dramatically boosted Iran's ability to defend against air strikes. Israel and the United States objected to the deal.

"The Iranian version of S-300 system is currently undergoing field modifications and is at the testing stage. Other long-range anti-aircraft missile systems are also being designed," IRNA quoted Mansourian as saying.

Mansourian said Russia has caved in to U.S. and Israeli pressures despite a valid deal.

"To meet part of our security needs in the field of air defense, we sought to purchase S-300 from Russia but it refused to deliver the defensive weapon under pressures from the U.S. and the Zionist regime, citing U.N. Security Council resolution 1929 as a pretext," he said.

Mansourian didn't provide further details but said the Iranian military already has locally-built missiles to defend its airspace.

Iran frequently announces new advances in its military technology that cannot be independently verified.

Tehran is also locked in a dispute with the United States and its European allies over its controversial nuclear activities.

The U.S. and its allies accuse Iran of using its civilian nuclear program as a cover to build nuclear weapons. Iran denies any such ambitions.