As Jerusalem continues efforts to persuade US elected officials to oppose the deal signed between Iran and the P5+1, Russia is continuing with business as usual, working to supply Tehran with the advanced S-300 missile system.

Israel in the past has announced it would not permit advanced weapons systems to reach Hizbullah and it remains to be seen what reaction a delivery of the S-300 advanced anti-aircraft system would have. Israeli military experts have stated in the past that the system does not rule out the Israel Air Force operating in Iranian airspace, but it does significantly complicate matters.

Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier-General Hossein Dehghan announced on Sunday 8 Elul that Russia was going to deliver the new system by the end of 2015. He explained that while a previous contact was canceled, a new deal was negotiated and the advanced system is on the way. The previous deal was canceled during the period the international community observed economic sanctions against Iran.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu flew to Moscow in the past to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin towards persuading him to halt the deal. In defense of the deal Putin told the international media that the weapons system is a defense system, not an offensive system, and therefore there is no reason not to go through with the deal as Iran has a right to defend itself.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)