LATEST: Rouhani Blasts New US Sanctions, But Says Nuclear Talks Continue

Continuing its tough talk amid signs of trouble in nuclear negotiations with the 5+1 Powers, Iran’s military has declared that its new missile defense system means it no longer needs support from Russia.

The Commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Base, Brigadier General Farzad Esmaili, said on Saturday that Iran has successfully test-fired the Bavar-373 system (pictured).

Esmaili said the Bavar-373 is an alternative “with superior capabilities” to Russia’s S-300 air defense system.

Russia agreed in late 2007 to deliver the S-300 ground-to-air missiles to Iran, but suspended the contract in 2010 amid escalating international sanctions over Tehran’s nuclear program.

Iran has periodically said it was renewing efforts to restore the contract. Last December, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said, “We still insist on the implementation of the previous agreements”, while other Iranian officials said in January that an alternative to the S-300 was being discussed with Moscow.

However, the breakdown in negotiations was signalled when Iran lodged a $4 billion lawsuit against Russia at an international court in Geneva over breach of contract.

The latest Iranian announcement comes as the Supreme Leader has signalled a tougher stance with the 5+1 Powers (US, Britain, China, Russia, France, and Germany) in the talks for a comprehensive nuclear agreement, declaring that negotiations with Washington are “useless”.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry continues to assert that discussions will resume next month. Foreign Minister Zarif is due to meet the European Union’s foreign policy head Catherine Ashton in Brussels on Monday.

Rouhani Blasts New US Sanctions, But Says Nuclear Talks Continue

In a press conference on Saturday, President Rouhani denounced new US sanctions targeting more than 20 Iranian individuals, companies, and banks; however, he said they will not halt talks seeking a comprehensive nuclear agreement.

“The US moves make the Iranian people even more distrustful of the US and these actions run counter to the Geneva agreements [for interim nuclear arrangements last November],” Rouhani said. “Besides, we basically believe that sanctions are illegal and wrong in essence and their form is also incorrect and unconstructive from our viewpoint.

However, asked if the new sanctions damage the prospect of a comprehensive deal, Rouhani limited his criticism, saying the other members of the 5+1 had not taken any destructive action: “The United States is the only country that Iran holds deep doubts about its goodwill for the settlement of the nuclear standoff.”

Maintaining that “everyone is after a win-win game”, the President there were “at least three or four complex issues” to be resolved: “We will continue the negotiations till we obtain results and we are hopeful that if the other side shows good will, we will be able to achieve understanding and agreement in the remaining period.”