Will Obama also receive vague assurances from the Russians about limiting their military ties to Iran after Obama scraps the missile shield in Europe? Reuters
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel has lobbied Russia to pull away from selling a strategic air-defense system to Iran but has received only vague assurances, Israeli defense sources said on Monday.
Last week Israel agreed to supply surveillance drones worth $50 million to Russia. The Israeli Haaretz newspaper said this followed a pledge by Moscow not to sell Iran the S-300, which could protect Iranian nuclear facilities against air strikes.
An Israeli defense official said he had no knowledge of such an undertaking by Russia in its talks with Israel on the matter. Moscow has given mixed messages on the prospects of Iran buying S-300s, a deal one Russian newspaper valued at $800 million.
A recently retired Israeli official informed about bilateral security talks with Russia said that while Israel has made clear its objections about Iran receiving S-300s, "the Russians don't make promises of this kind."
"The most we have at this point is a vague assurance that the deal is not going ahead," the ex-official said. "But that could change at any time, and one of the relevant factors is Israel's policies on Iran."
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