Russia on Monday unblocked the sale to Iran of one of the world’s most advanced air-defence systems, in a move that will irk the US and other world powers involved in talks to limit Tehran’s nuclear programme.
President Vladimir Putin cancelled a decree under which he had banned delivery of the S-300 system to the Islamic Republic in September 2009, a restriction imposed under intense diplomatic pressure from the US and Israel.
His move comes at a highly sensitive point in the negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme, with the White House attempting to sell this month’s framework agreement with Tehran to a highly sceptical US Congress.