Is Iran laying the military groundwork for a nuclear weapons program? Radiation Warning Symbol. Public Domain.
Iran proudly announced on Monday that they have stationed the advanced Russian S-300 air defense missile system at their Fordow underground nuclear enrichment facility, which left one concerned expert arguing the move highlights the failure of the Iran nuclear deal. “So why exactly did Iran deploy S-300 around Fordow? Hmmm, must be b/c Iran’s nuc program is purely peaceful…” said Dr. Emily Landau via her Twitter feed. Dr. Landau, a Senior Research Fellow and the of the Head of Arms Control Program at The Institute for National Security Studies in Israel, has long critiqued the Iranian nuclear agreement reached between the Islamic Republic and the six major world powers last year.
The S-300 launch was promoted by an Iranian general on the Fars News Agency. Brigadier General Farzad Esmayeeli attempted to defend the location of the advanced S-300 because the nuclear program needs security as an important Iranian achievement. Yet the same Fars article cited analysts boasting that the Fordow facility is so well built under a mountain that it’s impenetrable already.
Furthermore, an expert on Iranian-Russian relations reminded the Russian Sputnik news group that the S-300 has long been a sticking point between the countries, as Russia has long failed to deliver the advanced defense system. Sajjad Tayeri, in an interview republished in English by Sputnik International, argued this showed an even stronger relationship between the two nations.
The Sputnik article pointed out that the Fordow site ceased enriching nuclear fuel as part of the nuclear deal, which makes the latest defense missile system set up even more unusual.
Following the announcement of the air defense system, Dr. Landau tweeted, “Anyone still supporting/believing in Iran deal has to really be closing their eyes to reality. Unbelievable what’s going on; what a mess.”
(By Joshua Spurlock, www.themideastupdate.com, August 29, 2016)