Russia lifts ban on sale of S-300s to Iran

Russia lifts ban on sale of S-300s to Iran

MOSCOW -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree lifting a ban on sale of S-300 air defense systems to Iran, the Kremlin has announced.

The ban was introduced in 2010 by former President Dmitry Medvedev amid criticism coming from the West and Israel, and based on a UN resolution that imposed sanctions on Iran because of its controversial nuclear program.

"The decree lifts the ban on transit through Russian territory, including airlift, and the export from the Russian Federation to the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also the transfer to the Islamic Republic of Iran outside the territory of the Russian Federation, both by sea and by air, of air defense missile systems S-300," RIA Novosti quoted a statement accompanying the document, RT reported.

The decree enters into force upon the president's signature, the website added.

The contract for supplying S-300 missile systems to Iran was signed in 2007 and implied the delivery of five S-300 squadrons worth USD 800 million, but was in 2010 put on hold, RT said, adding that "Tehran answered with filing a nearly USD 4 billion lawsuit against Russia's Rosoboronexport arms dealer company to a Geneva arbitration tribunal."

Russia's decision to lift the ban came as a framework agreement on Iran's nuclear program was reached earlier this month. A final agreement is expected to be reached by the end of June, while sanctions can be softened only once the IAEA confirms that Tehran is adhering to the deal.