Russia Lifts Ban on Missile Sales to Iran

On Monday, Russia lifted its ban on the sale of sophisticated air-defense systems to Iran. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the ban was lifted due to recent progress in talks over Tehran’s nuclear program. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif applauded the decision.

The ban specifically covered the S-300 air defense missile system. The S-300 has a range of up to 125 miles. It is able to track down and strike multiple targets simultaneously.

Russia agreed in 2007 to sell the S-300 to Iran, but the United States and Israel strongly objected. The ban was put in place as a result, preventing the sale.

Israeli Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz said Russia’s decision is a bad one.

Soundbite: We are very disturbed from the selling of the S-300 missiles to Iran. We think that this is wrong. We think that it will convey the wrong message to the Iranians, that at the very time that they are sponsoring terrorism all over the Middle East, they can get such kind of weapons. I think that this is another negative impact or consequence of the Lausanne framework.

The Lausanne framework is the recently agreed nuclear framework established between Iran and the P5+1 nations in Switzerland.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said the move is not “constructive.” However, she added that the shipment does not violate any UN Security Council sanctions. She said lifting the ban should not cause problems over a final deal with Iran regarding its nuclear program.

Lifting this ban reveals how the framework deal is already giving Iran more leeway. Arming Iran with an advanced defensive weapon will only increase the aggressiveness in its foreign policy.

The Trumpet expects Iran to continue to gain more leeway without opposition from the U.S. For more information on what the Trumpet forecasts for the Middle East and Iran’s growing influence, read “America’s Chamberlain?”