Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Russian President Vladimir Putin that the planned delivery of Russian the S-300 air defense systems to Iran will undermine stability in the Middle East.
JERUSALEM (Sputnik) � The planned delivery of�the S-300 air defense systems to�Iran will undermine stability in�the Middle East and increase Tehran's belligerence, the Israeli prime minister told the Russian president in�a phone conversation."Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu told President [Vladimir] Putin that this move will only increase Iran's aggression in�the region and undermine stability in�the Middle East," the Israeli government's press service said in�a statement.

In response, the Russian leader reassured Netanyahu lifting the embargo on�the advanced ground-to-air missile systems' delivery to�Iran would not threaten Israeli security.

"Putin stressed that the S-300 missile system is purely defensive and will not pose a threat to�Israel or any other country in�the Middle East," the Kremlin press service said in�a statement.

Two weeks after�six major powers reached a landmark provisional agreement with�Iran on�its nuclear program, Putin signed a decree allowing the resumption of�Russia's contract with�Iran.

Moscow undertook to�supply five battalions of�the S-300 PMU-1 surface-to-air missiles to�Tehran in�an $800-million contract signed in�2007.Three years later, a UN Security Council resolution banning countries from�providing arms to�Iran, including missile systems, forced former President Dmitry Medvedev to�suspend the system's delivery.

Netanyahu had previously lobbied the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany, known as�the P5+1, not to�go ahead with�the Iranian nuclear deal, which is still subject to�finalization by�the end of�June. Tel Aviv maintains that easing restrictions against�Tehran threatens regional security.

The United States, a close Israeli ally, expressed concern with�Russia's S-300 deal with�Iran, but�reiterated the P5+1 group's unity in�ongoing talks over�the Islamic republic's contested nuclear program.


By Sputnik News