Tri-Service

Russia To Deliver Controversial Missile System To Iran

Russia says it will be at least six months before it can deliver a controversial missile system to Iran, but has confirmed that a barter deal is already being implemented to supply its goods to the country in exchange for oil.

The US, meanwhile, criticised president Vladimir Putin's decision to lift a five-year ban on delivery of the S-300 air defence missile system, which would give the Islamic republic's military a strong deterrent against air attacks.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest also expressed concerns about a Russian-Iranian barter deal, which he said had been under discussion for months but had not yet been implemented.

He said such a deal would raise serious concerns and could interfere with sanctions the US and other Western nations imposed on Tehran over its nuclear programme.

An Iranian Zulfiqar tank, which shares a number of similarities with the Soviet T-72

Mr Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, confirmed statements by a Russian diplomat that Moscow was already supplying Iran with various goods in exchange for oil. Mr Peskov said this trade was not barred under sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council.

In 2010, Russia linked its decision to freeze the S-300 delivery to the UN sanctions, but foreign minister Sergey Lavrov argued yesterday that the decision was taken voluntarily as part of efforts to encourage progress in talks.

Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council of Russia, said delivery would take time: