Lavrov Says Iran Deal Paves Way for ‘Broad’ Coalition against IS

“The S-300 SAM is a merely defensive system which fell under the sanctions neither in 2010, when they were introduced, nor now that an agreement has been reached as a result of talks between Iran and the six mediators on the Iranian nuclear program to extend the arms embargo for five years”, the source said.

– Russian President Putin says Iran now has a unique opportunity to continue developing its uranium enrichment under the “gradual lifting of sanctions“.

“There’s going to have to be a prioritisation process”, Mr Binnie said.

Under the deal, the formal arms embargo will remain in place for five years, and an embargo on the export of missile technology for eight. Preventing the Islamic republic of Iran from building nuclear weapons is the paramount challenge of our generation.

“Finally, a compromise has been reached between the Iranians and the Western partners, and Russian and China has supported it, bearing in mind that Iran agreed on that”.

The normalisation of the situation with Iran makes it possible to resolve “a whole number of problems and conflicts in the region” and will have a “positive influence on the situation as a whole”, Lavrov said. Allies of Riyadh and Tehran have fought decades of sectarian proxy wars in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen.

Iran has its own missile programme, with medium-range missiles based on Soviet-era Scuds, and Mr Binnie said key items of technology – such as high-grade lightweight alloys, or electro-optical equipment, could improve range and accuracy.

Lavrov added that the deal further boosts Russia-Iran business ties, including in the nuclear sphere.

First up will probably be the long-delayed S300 missile defence system, which Russian Federation has already sold to Iran but held off from supplying pending a deal.