Russia: No reason not to sell S-300 systems to Iran

Deal not restricted by any int'l sanctions, says deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Russia sees no reason to stall on the sale of its S-300 anti-missilesystems to Iran, the Kremlin’s powerful Security Council said onSunday, Reuters reported.
The possible sale of Russian air defense hardware to the IslamicRepublic is a major irritant for both Israel and the United States.Both have pressed Moscow not to go ahead with a deal that could protectIran’s nuclear facilities from air strikes.
“There is a signed contract [to supply S-300 missiles] which we mustimplement, but deliveries have not started yet,” Vladimir Nazarov,deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council, told the Interfax newsagency in an interview.
“This deal is not restricted by any international sanctions, becausethe talk is about deliveries of an exclusively defensive weapon,” hesaid.