Iran will soon announce the dates of Russian S-300 air defense system deliveries, Iranian Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff Major General Hassan Firouzabadi said, Fars News Agency (FNA) reported.

“The contract on the delivery of S-300 systems has been signed. The delivery time will be announced in the near future,” Firouzabadi said, as quoted by Mashriq news agency.

According to the Chief-of-Staff, missile drills are scheduled for the beginning of March.

On Wednesday, the Russian state news agency, Sputnik, said Russia would hand over the first S-300 air defense system to Iran on Thursday, February 18.

“Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan would participate in a ceremony dedicated to the first delivery of the Russian S-300 air defense system to Iran via the Caspian Sea on February 18,” a source told Sputnik Persian on Wednesday.

“Hossein Dehqan will participate in the ceremony of delivering the S-300 in Astrakhan on Thursday,” the Russian news agency quoted the source as saying.

According to Russian and Iranian media, Iran also wants to buy Sukhoi 30 fighter jets from Russia.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu arrived in Tehran on Sunday for a surprise visit, Iran’s state television reported.

Shoigu met President Hassan Rouhani and his counterpart Hossein Dehghan during his trip and discussed the situation in the region.

The trip comes days after Dehghan visited Moscow last Tuesday, during which Shoigu said Russia and Iran were ready to step up their military cooperation.

Russia and Iran are both longtime allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Moscow launched air strikes in support of Syria’s government on September 30.

Tehran says it supports Assad by sending military advisers and volunteers to fight alongside the Syrian Army.