MOSCOW, Feb. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Russia will meet its pledge on deliveries of air defense systems to Iran, a senior official said on Thursday.

    Moscow cut a 1 billion-U.S. dollar deal with Tehran in November to supply it with Tor-M1 short-range missiles. Russian officials said these missiles are air defense systems used only to bring down aircraft and guided missiles at low altitudes but cannot strike ground targets.

    "As you know, we have a contract on the delivery of anti-aircraft missile systems to Iran. There is no reason not to fulfill this contract," Mikhail Dmitriev, director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying.

    Under the deal, Russia will supply up to 30 systems which will be used to defend the most important state and military facilities, above all nuclear facilities in Isfahan, Bushehr, Teheran and in the country's east, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.

    Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov has said the contract was concluded "in strict compliance with Russian laws and Russia's international obligations."

    Dmitriev said the Middle East region remains a big regional market where Russia enjoys considerable possibilities for arms export. "We have long enjoyed good partnership relations with the United Arab Emirates, Syria and Egypt," he said. Enditem