Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

Israel Views Russia’s S-300 Sale to Iran with ‘Utmost Gravity’: PM

Israel Views Russia’s S-300 Sale to Iran with ‘Utmost Gravity’: PM

Jerusalem - "Israel views with utmost gravity the supply of S-300 missiles from Russia to Iran," Netanyahu said at a weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday.

The Israeli premier added that Tel Aviv “will do whatever is necessary” to protect Israelis.

On April 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a presidential decree paving the way for the long-overdue delivery of S-300 surface-to-air missile system to Iran.

The decision to lift the ban comes after Iran and the P5+1 group of countries - the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany - reached a mutual understanding on Tehran’s nuclear program in the Swiss city of Lausanne on April 2.

Moscow had banned the delivery of the system to Tehran in 2010 under the pretext that the agreement it signed with Iran in 2007 was covered by the fourth round of the United Nations Security Council sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program. The resolution bars hi-tech weapons sales to the Islamic Republic.

The Russian president on Thursday defended Moscow’s decision on S-300 supply to Iran, saying the system is meant for deterrence amid ongoing developments in war-torn Yemen.

“This is a defensive weapons system. More than that, considering the situation that is building up in the region, especially regarding the incidents in Yemen, we think that the delivery of this kind of weapon is a preventive factor,” Putin said.

Saudi Arabia began its military aggression against Yemen on March 26, without a UN mandate, in a bid to restore power to fugitive former President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, who is a close ally of Riyadh. (AFP)