Netanyahu to Putin: Israel disappointed over Russia\’s S-300 sale to Iran

 

Netanyahu told Putin that the move would only serve to increase Iran\’s aggression and put the security of the Middle East at risk. 

 

The premier said that the sale of the S-300 system to Iran was the result of the "dangerous deal emerging between Iran and world powers."

 

"After this weapons agreement, will there still be those who seriously claim that the deal with Iran will increase security in the Middle East?" the prime minister asked.

 

Putin told Netanyahu in response that the S-300 missiles have only defense capabilities and do not pose a threat to Israel.

 

On Monday, Putin signed a decree lifting the ban. Russia says it canceled a contract to deliver the advanced missile system to Iran in 2010 under pressure from the West following UN sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear program, but world powers and Tehran have now reached an interim deal on curbing Iran\’s nuclear work. 

 

Defense Minister Moshe Ya\’alon said Tuesday that the decision was a "direct result of the framework agreement reached in Lausanne," referring to the recent nuclear agreement between the P5+1 and Tehran.

 

Ya\’alon said that a storm is raging around Israel, and that Iran is "continuing to arm itself, and arm others." Moscow\’s S-300 deal with Iran is "something we have been warning about even before the details [of the agreement] were concluded. It was clear, even then, that sanctions will be lifted, and that of course this will influence and strengthen the Iranian economy." 

 

Meanwhile, Ya\’alon said, Iran continues to arm elements around Israel, particularly Hezbollah in the North, while supporting combat in Syria, and the Houthi-Shi\’ite takeover of Yemen.

 

"This issue was not discussed at all, and this is one of the biggest holes in the agreement. It is outside of the framework agreement, and this is certainly very disturbing. I hope that there will be time in the coming months to fix this," said the defense minister.

 

Iran continues to activate terrorism against pro-Western Arab regimes, support elements in Iraq, work against Israel, and transfer weapons to Syria, he added. It has already sent tens of millions of dollars to Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza after last summer\’s conflict to help them arm themselves, due to their inability to smuggle rockets or other weapons into Gaza, the defense minister continued.

 

"We continue to warn about the bad agreement that is developing with Iran, which does not include terrorism, missile components, or the military dimension of the Iranian nuclear project. Hence, we are against this bad agreement."