“At the same time, here at the Defense Department, again, the president will have options available to him even if that system is put into place”, said Cook.
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“We’ve long expressed our concerns of reports on the possible sale of this missile system to the Iranians”, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook told reporters.
Last week Dehghan said an agreement would be signed this week on the delivery of four S-300 systems in all, which will dramatically improve Iran’s air defense capabilities.
Our “GMD” homeland missile system has proven in 9 successful tests that it can stop an ICBM fired by a rogue state like Iran.
At a ceremony introducing the new weapon, Rouhani said, “We will buy, sell and develop any weapons we need and we will not ask for permission or abide by any resolution for that”.
He said the Islamic Republic would take any legitimate measure it deems necessary for self-defense and beef up military forces and security.
The Pentagon on Tuesday gave a frosty reception to the emerging deal between Iran and Russian Federation for missile systems.
When pressed, Cook specified that the respective options included “military options”.
Reports of the sale being finalized come as the administration is trying to defend its nuclear deal with Iran to Congress, which would lift sanctions on the country in exchange for several years of limits on its nuclear proliferation abilities.
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Since March, the Iranian defense ministry has started the mass-delivery of different ballistic missiles, including the Qadr, Qiam, Fateh 110 and Khalij-e Fars missiles, as well as the Mersad air defense system to the IRGC and Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base.
