Russia Said To Freeze Iran Missile Deal

An S-300 Favorit air-defense system at the Alabino Training Range near Moscow in 2008

Russia's Interfax news agency says Russia will freeze a contract to deliver S-300 missiles to Iran after the adoption of the new UN sanctions against Tehran.

The agency cites an unidentified source in Russia's arms industry as saying that the UN Security Council resolution imposing the sanctions is "binding for all countries and Russia is no exception."

There was no official confirmation of the comments.

Russian officials have previously said the sanctions would not affect the air-defense missile deal.

The S-300 missiles deal is controversial as Western nations fear Iran would use the sophisticated systems to protect its most sensitive nuclear sites from aerial attack.

compiled from agency reports