The Kuwaiti daily Al-Jarida is reporting that Russian President Vladimir Putin has put a hold on delivery of the advanced S-300 anti-aircraft system to Iran. The report stated the decision is based on Israel providing the Russian leader with proof that Iran on more than one occasion in the past, transferred the SA-22 surface-to-air missile system to Hizbullah despite promises it would not do so. The report in the Kuwaiti daily quotes “high reliable sources”.

Adding addition credibility to Israeli concerns is the fact the report cites Russian pilots operating over Syria have reported on a number of occasions that their radar detected the advanced systems in areas under Hizbullah control.

The $800 million deal between Russia and Iran would provide Tehran with the system back in 2007 but Russia got cold feet amid strong objections voiced by the United States and Israel but Russia attributed its decision to the international sanctions placed on Iran by the UN.

After the announced lifting of sanctions against Iran in 2016, Russia announced it is now ready to make good on the delivery to Iran, which resulted in an additional warning from Jerusalem that such a deal would further destabilize the region. Putin however continues to justify the deal as he has done in the past, explaining the S-300 is a defense system and therefore, Israel has no reason to be concerned. Clearly the Russian-built system would shift the balance of power between Jerusalem and Tehran and create new concerns surrounding an Israeli military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)