April 13--Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday lifted a five-year hold on delivery of S-300 missiles to Iran imposed under a United Nations sanction regime, potentially getting a jump on other world powers in resuming trade with the long-isolated Islamic republic.
Kremlin officials cited last week's framework agreement between Iran and six world powers that is expected to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons as grounds for ending the missile delivery ban. But U.S. and Israeli officials warned that it's too soon to offer Iran sanctions relief because a final nuclear deal has yet to be completed.
Putin's decree, which took immediate effect with his signature, ended the restrictions on transport of the five S-300 squadrons worth a total of $800 million, Russia Today television reported.
Tehran's order for the S-300s was made in 2007 but was held up by then-President Dmitry Medvedev three years later, in line with U.N. Security Council Resolution 1929, which banned supply to Iran of conventional weapons including missiles, tanks, attack helicopters, warplanes and ships.
The sanctions were imposed on Iran for its suspected efforts to develop nuclear arms.
Under the framework agreement signed April 2 in Lausanne, Switzerland, by Iran and the six world powers -- Russia, the United States, Britain, France, China and Germany -- Tehran would renounce nuclear weapons development and subject its nuclear facilities to thorough international inspection. In exchange, the sanctions that have ravaged Iran's economy for years would be eased.
A final, detailed agreement is due by the end of June.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov hailed the lifting of the S-300 delivery hold as the result of progress at the nuclear negotiations that began more than a year ago.
Lavrov observed in comments to Russia Today that "in view of current events in the Middle East," Iran needs improved air defenses.
"The S-300 is exclusively a defensive weapon, which can't serve offensive purposes and will not jeopardize the security of any country, including, of course, Israel," Lavrov said.
Much of the international community has welcomed the framework agreement as opening a path for peaceful resolution of Iran's standoff with the West over its nuclear capabilities. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned the pact and threatened unilateral action against Iran if he suspects Tehran of breaching the agreement. Those actions could include airstrikes, Israeli officials have said.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said that the United States "has previously made known our objections to that sale," and that Secretary of State John F. Kerry raised those concerns again to Lavrov in a recent conversation.
"It's safe to say that Russia understands that the United States takes very seriously the safety and security of our allies in the region," Earnest said.
Israeli Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz warned that the Russian move to lift the missile delivery ban was "the direct result of the legitimacy that Iran is receiving from the nuclear deal" that is still in progress.
"Even as Iran disavows article after article in the framework agreement that was announced last week, the international community is beginning to ease restrictions on it," Steinitz complained.
Russia and Iran have also enacted an oil-for-goods deal "on a very significant scale," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the Russian upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, in a briefing following the Lausanne agreement. Under that barter arrangement, Russia would buy 500,000 barrels of Iranian crude per day in exchange for deliveries of grain and manufactured goods, Ryabkov said.
Russian media also reported Monday that Tehran had been offered a newer ballistic missile system, the Antey-2500, instead of the older S-300 system that is no longer in production. Iranian officials were considering that option, the Tass news agency reported, quoting Sergei Chemezov, the head of arms maker Rostech.
The last S-300 delivery was to China in 2010, Russia Today said. The systems also have been operable in Algeria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Cyprus, Kazakhstan and Vietnam, the broadcast noted.
Times staff writer Michael Memoli in Washington contributed to this report.
UPDATES
9:20 a.m.: This article has been updated throughout with additional details and background.
11:30 a.m.: This article has been updated to add comments from the White House, the Israeli intelligence minister and more detail on the Russian position.
The article was originally published at 6:48 a.m.
