Medvedev Ahead of Trip to Israel: S-300 Delivery to Iran Will Not Affect Relations with Israel

Dmitry Medvedev, the Prime Minister of Russia, ahead of his upcoming trip to Israel, stated that he does not believe Moscow's commitments to provide the S-300 missile defense system to Iran will impact the bilateral relations between Russia and Israel. In an interview with Israel's Channel 2 television, Medvedev described the relations between the two countries as 'warm and good,' expressing hope for their future enhancement. According to a report by the Russian news agency Interfax, he clarified that the purpose of his trip to Israel is to improve relations, especially as his country maintains ties with other regional countries, including Iran. Israel had protested a year ago in November 2015 against Russia's decision to send the S-300 missile system to Iran, with Israel's Energy Minister condemning Russia's decision and assessing Iran's possession of this defense system as a threat to Israel. The S-300 defense system is capable of targeting aircraft at an altitude of 30 kilometers and a distance of 150 kilometers, with the ability to track 100 targets simultaneously, and Iran's acquisition of this system could alter the equations regarding a potential Israeli airstrike on Iran's nuclear facilities. In the interview, the Russian Prime Minister also reminded that prior to finding a solution to the Iranian nuclear issue, Russia had adhered to sanctions that also affected its relations with Iran, and during the sanctions period, it did not provide any weapons to Iran. He emphasized that in his first meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama, he had pointed out that the Iranian nuclear program was his top issue, and according to Medvedev, resolving this issue without the involvement of the international community, including Russia, was not possible. Medvedev also stated that all parties involved in the nuclear talks with Iran agreed that the sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic should be lifted, and now Russia is acting within the framework of existing realities. In 2007, Moscow committed to providing the S-300 missile defense system to Iran under an $800 million contract. However, the execution of this contract faced many ups and downs, including at one point considering a ban on sending this missile system to Iran due to international sanctions against Iran. Nevertheless, a few months before the Iran nuclear agreement with world powers, Russian President Vladimir Putin lifted this ban, and a few months after reaching the JCPOA, Russia signed the final contract for the delivery of this missile defense system to Iran.