Moscow Says Lifting Ban on S-300 Delivery to Iran Technical Issue

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Lifting the embargo on delivering S-300 surface-to-air missile systems to Iran is an issue of legal regulations, the spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday.

On Monday, the Russian president revived the deal on the delivery of S-300s to Tehran, suspended under the UN-imposed arms embargo.

"There is nothing to add to what has already been said on the S-300 [delivery to Iran]…. It is a matter of legal regulation," Dmitry Peskov said at a press briefing, after being asked to explain Russia's move given that it could complicate relations with Israel.

On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Putin in a phone conversation that delivery of the S-300 missile systems to Iran would undermine stability in the Middle East and increase Tehran's "belligerence." Netanyahu said Jerusalem could start sending weapons to war-torn Ukraine in response.

The deal between Russia and Iran on the delivery of five S-300 PMU-1 systems, worth $800 million, was agreed on in 2007. In 2010, then-President Dmitry Medvedev suspended the agreement after the UN Security Council introduced an embargo on arms deliveries to Iran over concerns it was developing nuclear weapons.

On April 2, Iran and six world powers, including Russia, China and the United States, agreed on a framework for a deal to ensure the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program. The deal would involve a gradual phasing out of sanctions against Tehran.

The final agreement between Iran and the international mediators is set to be achieved by June 30, 2015.