S-300 Sales to Iran Discussed at Talks on Tehran Nuclear Program

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree lifting the ban on the sales of S-300 to Iran last week after P5+1 and Tehran had worked out a framework agreement ensuring the peaceful nature of the Islamic Republic's nuclear energy program.

VIENNA (Sputnik) – The issue of supplying Iran with Russian S-300 air defense systems was discussed at Friday's talks of P5+1 and Iran on Tehran's nuclear program, but will be addressed separately, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.

"The topic of S-300 deliveries was invisibly present and was negotiated during some of our bilateral talks. But it cannot be the subject of negotiations, as systems of that sort are not regulated by any UN Security Council resolutions."

According to Ryabkov, the subject will be considered outside of the context of lifting anti-Tehran sanctions.

The deputy foreign ministers of P5+1 group of negotiators, comprising Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, France and Germany, and Iran, convened Friday in Vienna for further talks on Tehran's nuclear program.