File image.
Satellite imagery from Planet Labs and Airbus published on February 20 by Arms Control Wonk indicates that Iran may have reactivated Russian-made S-300 long-range air defense systems at sites near the central cities of Tehran and Isfahan.
The Islamic Republic purchased four upgraded S-300 PMU2s in 2007 from Russia, which maintained a self-imposed ban on the delivery of the air defense systems until the easing of some United Nations sanctions as part of the 2015 nuclear agreement.
In 2016, Iran received the four systems, each consisting of a 96L6E target-acquisition radar, a 30N6E2 target-engagement radar, and four 5P85TE2 towed transporter-erector-launchers (TELs). The systems are supported by two 64N6E2 battle-management radars and linked using FL-95 antenna masts.
Officials from Israel and the U.S. alleged in 2024 that all four systems were placed out of service as a result of two Israeli attacks on Iran.
The 96L6E radar of one system was supposedly taken out in the first attack, which was launched on April 29 of the year in response to the Iranian drone and missile strikes in Israel. The strikes themselves were an Iranian retaliation for the Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital, Damascus.
The three other systems were hit in the second attack, which Israel carried out later in the year on October 26 in response to another wave of Iranian strikes that took place earlier that month. The strikes were also carried out in response to a wave of Israeli assassinations that claimed the lives of senior allies of Iran, including leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah.
Iranian S-300s saw no action during the 12-day June war of last year, which was seen by most observers as evidence that the systems were neutralized in previous Israeli attacks.
The latest satellite imagery shows, however, what appear to be 5P85TE2 TELs repositioned at multiple air defense sites around Tehran and Isfahan, even as 96L6E and 30N6E2 are not visible in their customary locations.
It is very possible that Iran received new radars for its S-300s from Russia but it is keeping them hidden. It is also plausible that the TELs are just decoys.
Click to see full-size image. (Airbus and Planet Lab via Arms Control Wonk)
Click to see full-size image. (Airbus and Planet Lab via Arms Control Wonk)
Click to see full-size image. (Airbus and Planet Lab via Arms Control Wonk)
Click to see full-size image. (Airbus and Planet Lab via Arms Control Wonk)
The images were released amid a massive United States military buildup in the Middle East and direct threats from President Donald Trump to Iran over several issues, including recent deadly protests and the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program. Despite indirect talks between the two sides, all recent reports indicate that war is around the corner.
The S-300 was designed to deal with all sorts of aerial threats, from ballistic missiles, to fighter jets and drones. The PMU2 version can fire a variety of missiles, with ranges close to 200 kilometers with Track Via Missile guidance.
These systems were considered the cornerstone of the Islamic Republic’s air defense network and the first line of defense of its nuclear facilities.
Reactivating the systems would give Iran a chance to fight back, dramatically complicating any attack by the U.S. The Islamic Republic will have, however, to protect the systems which will likely come under fire not just from air, but also from the ground as during the June war many such air defenses were attacked by cells from the Mossad spy agency using loitering munitions and guided missiles.
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if they survive the planned globalist onslaught, it will not be easy to correctly utilize all systems, the entire country is under relentless zio type surveillance.may iranian hunting of nato pirates go well
wow, what a coincidence, you’ve been boxed in by distraction comments in exactly the same way as in another article. hmmmn, somebody wants to hide your message among garbage!
you’d be advised to take note of such commentary. you might learn something, arsehole.
it s ayathover
big gringo-jew hollywood movie will come crashing down into the wall of reality 🎥 they cant even deal with houthis and they expect to win against iran? with massive hidden missile cities, underground backup radars and anti air complexes. in the 12 israel-iran war, the us had all of its best military tech deployed and they couldn’t stop iran’s missiles which weren’t even its best.
so, the eu is at war with iran too as france airbus is providing spying hi res satellite images of iranian defense.. same story as ukraine then or gaza where france is committed to help the zionazi.
finally we have a clear picture: us and its puppy eu countries against eurasian ones. or in another words zionazi against everybody else…
the zionazi’s golden billion crowd, against everyone else.
iran is the second syria for russkys.
iran is all barking and no biting.
even if the politically pointless “russian” oligarchy wanted to help iran the iranians wouldn’t let them. iran has all sorts of laws about not allowing foreign troops to be stationed in iran, so no one can do anything for them
after jewtin sold syria to khazars at victory parade 2018 on sidewalk with mileikowsky, what business may you await with iran?
what’s an already purchased air defence system got to do with some bogus u.n. sponsored nuclear deterrence agreement ? ?
putin and medvedev’s crowd bending forward to accommodate their western zio partners, as was their usual repertoire. a disturbing history in appeasement and agreement betrayal may be gleaned from.the last three decades of russian foreign policy.
why give them new radars, they didn’t didn’t even use the systems in the last war, iran is even more incompetent then russia, which takes some work.
the amerikunts and their little belligerent joo cockroach are going down. the whole world has had a belly full of both of them.
lets iran hope they are well hidden. those s300 will be some of the first targets to take out for the us planes and discombobulator and after iran will have no air defense. next they take out all the oil and power and iran will be finished as a nation and controlled by the west and their puppet leader baby shah who will reign iran with terror and secret police just like his daddy.