Russia will soon begin shipping the advanced S-300 air defense system to the Iranians, the Russian Interfax News Agency reported, quoting Russian Foreign Ministry official Zamir Kabulov.

Israel has worked hard to prevent his from occurring, seeking to involve the United States in pressuring Russia as well as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu personally addressing the matter with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In March 2016 a Kuwaiti daily reported Russia would comply with Israel’s request and not sell the advanced air defense system to Iran.

Israeli experts have stated that placing the system in Iranian hands would complicate any future assault against Tehran’s nuclear program, clarifying it would not make such an assault an impossibility but it would add new challenges to accomplishing such an objective.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)