Two conflicting reports. RIA Novosti reports that the generals said Iran's air defenses can repel US air strikes, while Reuters quoting the same generals determined that they said Iran could not repel US air strikes. Take a look.

Iran's air defense can repel U.S. air strikes - Russian brass

Iran has air defense systems capable of repelling possible United States air strikes, a high-ranking Russian military official said Thursday.

A Kuwaiti newspaper warned Wednesday that the United States was planning a missile strike against Iran some time in April. In an editorial citing unnamed Washington sources, As-Siyasa said air-to-surface missiles could be used in U.S. strikes against Iran, but that no ground operation would be launched to avoid casualties among U.S. service personnel.

"In line with my assessment, Iran's air defense system is strong enough," Colonel General Yury Solovyov, commander of the Air Defense Forces Special Command (former Moscow Military District Air Defense Command), said. "Currently Iran has our [Russian] air defense missile systems, which arecapable of tackling U.S. combat aircraft. Iran also has French and other countries' [defense] systems."

Russia, which is separated from Iran in the south by three tiny South Caucasus nations and shares a sea border with the Islamic Republic, has been actively promoting a diplomatic solution to the Iranian issue.

RIA Novosti Full Story

U.S. could crack Iran air defence-Russian generals

The United States would suffer losses if it attacked Iran but weight of numbers would ensure it eventually achieved air supremacy, Russian generals said on Thursday.

"According to our estimates, Iran's air defence system is pretty strong," General Yuri Solovyov, head of Moscow's air defences, told a news conference.

"Iran's weapons, among others, include our anti-aircraft systems which allow them to fight all types of flying objects currently in service in the U.S. army ... Besides, we all remember our specialists have trained them since Soviet times."

Russia said in January it had completed delivery of TOR-M1 anti-aircraft missile systems to Iran, provoking an outcry from Washington and its Middle East ally Israel who said the sale undermined regional security.

Moscow said the missile systems were short-range and purely defensive. Russian media have quoted unnamed sources in Russian military intelligence as saying the United States could launch a strike on Iran as early as April 6.

Washington and Tehran are at loggerheads over Iran's nuclear programme which the West fears is aimed at building an atomic bomb. Iran says it wants only to produce electricity.

Reuters Full Story