Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Russia Moves Ahead on Iranian Arms Contract

   VOA News 10 June 2010
   An  S-300  surface-to-air  missile  blasts  off  at the Ashuluk firing
   range,  in  Astrakhan  region,  1280  km  (795 miles) south of Moscow,
   Russia, 05 Aug 2005 (file photo)

Photo: AP

   An  S-300  surface-to-air  missile  blasts  off  at the Ashuluk firing
   range,  in  Astrakhan  region,  1280  km  (795 miles) south of Moscow,
   Russia, 05 Aug 2005 (file photo)

   Russia's  Foreign Ministry says a deal to deliver S-300 surface-to-air
   missiles to Iran is not affected by new U.N. sanctions against Tehran.
   Foreign  Ministry  spokesman  Andrei Nesterenko says a U.N. resolution
   approved  Wednesday  does not apply to anti-aircraft systems, with the
   exception of portable missiles.
   He  commented  Thursday  after Russia's Interfax news agency quoted an
   unnamed official with the Russian agency that supervises arms sales as
   saying  the country was freezing a contract to sell the missile system
   to Iran because of the new sanctions.
   However,  other  Russian  news  organizations  quote  agency  official
   Mikhail  Dmitrivev  as  saying  the  deal was not affected by the U.N.
   resolution and work on the contract continues.
   Russia  signed a contract in 2007 to sell Iran the missiles that would
   significantly  boost  Tehran's  defense capabilities. However, none of
   the missiles have been delivered.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

.