Iran Has Never Requested S-400 System from Russia

WANA (Sep 13) – Kazem Jalali, Iran’s ambassador to Russia, emphasized that Iran has never requested the S-400 air defense system from Moscow.

In an interview, Jalali addressed recent social media claims regarding Iran-Russia military cooperation. He referred to a post on Twitter questioning why Russia had not provided Iran with Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 systems, stating: “Iran has never requested the S-400 from Russia.”

Jalali also dismissed other online claims, including allegations that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu contacted President Putin three days before the war to announce operations in Iran.

He said these claims were entirely false, noting that the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a two-page protest note questioning the sources of such statements. Jalali added that investigations within the Iranian embassy and with Russian military representatives confirmed the allegations were baseless.

Another claim that Netanyahu allegedly called Putin on the night of the incident, saying Iran’s regime was finished, was also refuted. Jalali personally contacted the individual who made this claim and protested the statement.

Russia Opposes “Snapback” Sanctions

On the issue of the UN “snapback” mechanism, Jalali said Russia has opposed its use from the beginning. He noted ongoing consultations over the past months, and stated: “Russia’s position has been to follow Iran’s lead on this matter. They consider snapback by European states illegitimate, especially as the West has failed to meet its JCPOA obligations.”

Jalali highlighted that letters were sent by Iran, Russia, and China to the UN Secretary-General and Security Council, arguing that Europeans do not have the legal authority to implement snapback sanctions.

He added, however, that in practice, international law is often ignored and European states continue to pursue snapback despite the objections of Russia and China.

Regarding the potential impact of renewed sanctions on Iran-Russia economic relations, Jalali downplayed the effect, saying: “The psychological impact of snapback is currently greater than the real effect. The West has already taken almost every action against Iran that it could in recent years.”

He also noted that how Russia and China might respond remains to be seen, but the world is no longer dominated by unilateral Western influence.

Direct Presidential Oversight on Iran-Russia Relations

Jalali also praised Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian for personally following up on agreements with Russia. He said the president regularly contacts him to monitor bilateral issues, a level of direct involvement Jalali had not seen with other leaders.

For instance, following the president’s trip to China and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit—where he met Putin—he called Jalali twice to ensure progress on Iran-Russia relations.

Kazem Jalali, Iran’s ambassador to Russia. Social media/ WANA News Agency