MOSCOW (JTA) — Russia will soon deliver to Iran parts of a missile system that would hinder efforts to launch an airstrike against the country, Iran’s state news agency reported.
Israeli officials have denied Sunday’s report by the IRNA news agency.
Israel is opposed to the missile deal and sent a senior defense official to Moscow last week to lobby against the sale of the missiles. Russia has wavered for months on whether it would sell the anti-aircraft systems to Iran.
Tensions between Russia and Israel in the wake of this summer’s conflict in Georgia fueled talk that Russia would spurn Israel and sell the missile systems in retaliation for Israeli aid to the Georgian military. In October, however, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said it would not sell weapons to "troubled regions."
The S-300 missile system can target and fire at aircraft up to 75 miles away.
Israeli officials on Sunday said the Iranian news reports were false, the Jerusalem Post reported, saying senior Russian officials said the Iranian reports were "baseless."
