"We are capable of building our needed equipment and we have built and are building a system better than the S-300," General Salehi said on Thursday.
He also warned of the US and Britain's plots against the region, specially Iran, adding that these plots are considered as "new threats".
His remarks came after Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan announced that the final and operational tests of the home-made version of the Russian S-300 missile defense system, dubbed as Bavar (Belief) 373, will be carried out late in May.
"The full battlefield operation tests on Bavar 373 system have been planned for May 23," General Dehqan told FNA on Sunday.
Noting that 5 test stages should be carried out on the home-made defense shield, he said that three stages have been passed and the fourth stage which was due to be held in February-March was postponed to another time due to technical problems.
Last week, Deputy Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said that Iran is forcefully working on Bavar (Belief) 373.
"Steady work efforts are being made on Bavar 373 missile system and a number of tests have been carried out on this system, and these tests will continue until the date of delivery," General Hatami said.
Asked if the Iranian air defense shield has been tested against incoming ballistic missiles, the deputy minister said all defensive projects, including development of this missile system are moving ahead in accordance to their approved plans.
Iran designed and developed its own version of the S-300 missile shield after the Russians shrugged off delivery of their advanced missile defense system to Iran on the pretext of the UN Security Council sanctions.
The Iranian version has superior features over the original Russian model as it enjoys increased mobility, agility and reduced launch-preparation time.
Iranian commanders had earlier said that Bavar 373 is similar to its original Russian model and traces and intercepts high-altitude targets.
After the removal of sanctions, Russia delivered S-300 air defense systems to Iran under the existing contract.
In relevant remarks last August, Commander of Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base Brigadier General Farzad Esmayeeli said that "the radar and missile defense system, Bavar-373, is a powerful and fully indigenous supplement for the S-300 defense system which will be put into operation soon".
"The S-300 and Bavar-373 systems will be highly lethal for the enemy," he added.
Noting that Iran is also building two other defense systems named Talash 2 and Talash 3, Esmayeeli said that the country no more needs the Russian-made S-400 missile shield.
/106
