Putin ends ban on delivery of S-300 missile system to Iran


Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Monday lifting a ban on the delivery of S-300 anti-missile rocket systems to Iran, the Kremlin said on Monday.

According to the Kremlin, the presidential decree lifts the ban to deliver the missile system to Iran through Russian territory or outside of it, using planes or ships sailing under the Russian flag.

Russia says it cancelled a contract to deliver the advanced missile system to Iran in 2010 under pressure from the West following UN sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear program, but world powers and Tehran have now reached an interim deal on curbing Iran's nuclear work.

In recent years, Russia did not supply Iran with the advanced missile system, due in part to Israeli and American requests. Russia had signed a contract with Iran, to sell it the S-300 system, but the contract was canceled during the rule of the last president, Dmitry Medvedev. After the contract was canceled Medvedev released a presidential decree banning the delivery of a missile system to Iran.

By Haaretz