Article Posted on : - Jul 15, 2010

MOSCOW (PTI): The contract for the sale of Patriot class S-300 air defence missile systems to Iran has not been scrapped and the final decision on the deal signed in 2005 has to be taken by President Dmitry Medvedev, as top Russian defence industry official said Thursday.

“The contract on supplying S-300 air defence systems to Iran has not yet been cancelled,” CEO of ‘Russian Technologies’ State Corporation, Sergei Chemezev, was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.

“The final decision on signing or dropping the contract must be made by the President,” Chemezev said.

A UN Security Council resolution adopted on June 9 imposed a fourth set of sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme, including tougher financial controls and an expanded arms embargo.

The sale of S-300 air defence systems is believed to fall under the sanctions, though earlier Russia said the delivery would not be affected since the weapons are not included in the UN Register of Conventional Arms.

Under pressure from the US and Israel, Moscow has been dragging feet on the execution of S-300 contract for several years.