Russia has completed the delivery of Tor-M1 missile systems to Iran, Itar-Tass news agency reported today, citing the head of the state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport.

Russia has fulfilled its contract and "fully completed deliveries of Tor-M1 air defense systems to Iran at the end of December 2006," Rosoboronexport chief Sergei Chemezov was quoted as saying.

Moscow cut a 1-billion-US-dollar deal with Tehran in November 2005 to supply it with the short-range Tor-M1 missiles. Russian officials described the missiles as air defense systems that are used only to bring down aircraft and guided missiles at low altitudes but cannot strike ground targets.

Tor-M1 is capable of simultaneously tracing up to 48 targets and firing at two targets 20 to 6,000 meters high.