White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said that while Russia�s proposed sale of the advanced S-300 air defense missile system to Iran does not violate UN�SECURITY Council resolutions, the United States needs more details to determine if the sale could violate US sanctions against Iran.


WASHINGTON (Sputnik)�� While Russia�s proposed sale of�the advanced S-300 air defense missile system to�Iran does not violate UN�SECURITY Council resolutions, the United States needs more details to�determine if the sale could violate US sanctions against�Iran, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said on�Thursday.

�The transfer of�this defensive weapons system [S-300] is not prohibited by�UN�SECURITY Council resolutions, and we would need to�know more about�the specific�PROGRAM to�determine the impact it would have on�US sanctions programs,� Earnest said at�a press briefing.

This week, the United States has expressed concern over�Russia�s announcement that it would sell an advanced version of�its S-300 air defense missile system to�Tehran, arguing the sale would create instability in�the Middle East.

In addition to�UN sanctions, the United States maintains a�NUMBERof�sanctions against�Iran related to�ballistic missiles, support for�terrorism and violations of�human rights.On April 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree lifting the ban on�the sales of�S-300 air defense systems to�Iran two weeks after�Tehran and world powers agreed on�a landmark deal to�curb Iran's nuclear program. In return, Iran will see sanctions against�it phased out�over time, including the arms embargo.

Putin said on�Thursday that in�the context of�Saudi Arabia and Arab Gulf�COUNTRIES military build-up and operations in�Yemen, the missile sale to�Iran would prevent hostilities from�breaking out.

Moscow and Tehran agreed on�the delivery of�five S-300 systems in�2007. In 2010, then-President Dmitry Medvedev put the deal on�hold after�the UN Security Council introduced an embargo on�arms deliveries to�Iran over�fears the Islamic Republic was developing nuclear weapons.

On Thursday, Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan said the deal could be closed by�the end of�2015.

By Sputnik News