By lifting the ban on deliveries of S-300 to Iran, the Kremlin let everyone know that Russia is returning to the center of the geopolitical action, currently taking place in the Middle East, Camille Grand, the director of the Foundation for Strategic Research, told French newspaper Liberation.
The triangle, consisting of Moscow, Tehran and Damascus, sent a clear message to the United States and the Persian Gulf states, as the change in the balance of power in the region, the political expert said.
“Russia wants [once again] to become a major political player in the Middle East. Russia wants to assert itself as a patron of the countries in the region that were ostracized by the West.”
Grand also added that Moscow’s ambitions in the Middle East are not limited to Syria and Iran, but could potentially stretch further into the Arab world. Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to Cairo showed that Russia is willing to build relationships with Egypt as well.
The S-300 missile system can shoot down more than a dozen targets simultaneously, including aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles. The S-300 is a defensive system and has a range of 250 kilometers (155 miles).