Russia tells Netanyahu it will hold off on Iran arms deal
In Moscow, Netanyahu asks Medvedev to back 'sanctions with teeth' against Iran over its nuclear program.
By Barak Ravid Tags: Iran Russia Israel newsRussian President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday assured Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that it would hold off on its contract to sell an advanced air defense system to Iran.
Israel has repeatedly asked Russia to scrap its contract over the sale of the S-300 system to Iran. Netanyahu said he had received assurances from the Russian leader during their talks on Monday that Moscow understood the seriousness of the issues involved for regional stability.
"On this issue Russia is taking into consideration the needs for stability in the region," Netanyahu told reporters.
The truck-mounted S-300, which can shoot down hostile missiles or aircraft up to 150 km [90 miles] away, could help Iran thwart any attempt by Israel or the United States to bomb its nuclear facilities.
Netanyahu on Monday made good during the meeting on his promise to pressure Moscow to join international efforts to impose harsher sanctions against Iran over its contentious nuclear program.
Netanyahu stressed to the Russian leader that Iran's nuclear ambitions must be halted before it could succeed in developing an atomic bomb and implored Medvedev to back "sanctions with teeth" targeting Iran's energy sector.
"What is needed now is very tough sanctions that can influence this regime and severe sanctions that will considerably and convincingly harm the import and export of oil," Netanyahu told reporters in Moscow after the meeting.
"President Medvedev heard from me my position about the need for sanctions with teeth. They can bite only if they have teeth. Diluted sanctions don't work," Netanyahu said.
Prior to Netanyahu's visit, Russia defended S-300 sale
An hour before Netanyahu's plane took off on Sunday, Russian officials said that Moscow sees no reason to delay the sale of the S-300, a powerful air-defense system, to Iran. In addition, on Friday, Russian intelligence officials leaked comments expressing their displeasure with plans by an Israeli firm to close a major arms deal with Georgia.
"There is a signed contract [for the S-300 missiles] which we must follow through on, but deliveries have not started yet," Vladimir Nazarov, deputy secretary of Russia's Security Council secretary, told Interfax news agency in an interview. "This deal is not restricted by any international sanctions, because we are talking about deliveries of an exclusively defensive weapon."
Nazarov added that a military strike on Iran would be a big mistake and that the problems linked to Tehran's nuclear program must be resolved by diplomatic means only.
"Any military action against Iran will make the situation explode and will have extremely negative consequences for the entire world, including for Russia, which is a neighbor of Iran," he noted.
Israel has expressed concern in the past over Russian plans to sell Iran the S-300 system, which will be used to defend its nuclear installations against a possible attack. During the past two years, both Israel and the United States have pressured Russia not to implement the agreement with Iran, and there may be other opposition, according to sources in the premier's entourage.
In recent months Russia had promised not to go through with the deal. However, the economic crisis and pressure from the military establishment have resulted in major disagreements within the country's leadership on the issue.
Medvedev recently told President Shimon Peres and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman that Russia needs the revenue from the deal and suggested that a different buyer be found.
Russia's declarations about the S-300 system were also meant to send a message to Israel that it does not approve the resumption of its arms sales to Georgia, which were frozen in August 2008.
According to the Russian government news agency, Itar-Tass, Israel resumed the sale of arms to Georgia and "is no longer limiting itself to the sale of UAVs [drones]," which are perceived to be defensive weapons.
A Russian intelligence source was quoted as saying that a private Israeli firm is providing weapons to the Georgian armed forces .
Specifically, according to the Russian news agency Ropadia, a company registered in Cyprus signed a contract for the delivery of 50,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles, 1,000 RPG launchers, and 20,000 40mm shells for the rocket launchers, in addition to 15,000 assault rifles of different types. The report stated that the arms deal was also carried out through Arsenal, a Bulgarian firm.
Foreign Ministry sources did not confirm the reports, but said that the timing of the leak to Itar-Tass is not coincidental and it appears that certain figures in Russia wish to link the arms sales to Georgia with Israel's demand for a freeze on the S-300 deal to Iran.
Sources at the ministry confirmed that security ties with Georgia were recently resumed, but they involve provision of basic training for the Georgian army by Israeli firms.
Russia denies new Iran fuel proposal
Russia's Foreign Ministry meanwhile denied on Monday a report that world powers had given Iran new proposals to send its uranium abroad for reprocessing, Interfax news agency said.
Russia said that powers had simply confirmed their support for a proposal brokered by the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to send much of Iran's low enriched uranium abroad in return for fuel intended for a Tehran research reactor.
"Russia, the United States and France merely confirmed their support for the previously agreed IAEA proposals," an unidentified official at Russia's Foreign Ministry was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency.
The semi-official Iranian ILNA news agency quoted Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy organization, as saying proposals had been received after Tehran opted to step up its own uranium enrichment, a decision it announced last week.
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Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Moscow on Monday. |
| Photo by: (Getty) |
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In the interest of security in the area. I Hope that Iran gets the S300 and a nuclear deterrant. The sooner they get it the better
So waht can this ancient Power can have BOWS and ARROWS, in this day and age?
Here's an idea - why doesn't Israel buy the S-300 system from Russia (at a premium e.g. for double the price) on the condition that Russia does not sell it to Iran?? Russia gets double the revenue from the contract and Israel gets a state of the art air defence system. Plus Iran will feel even more isololated as one of its best friends in the international community abandons it to sell arms to that evil Zionist entity. Russia and Israel in turn further improve their relathionship and increase military and economic cooperation and everybody wins (except Iran)
I still have no idea what Netanyahu means when he uses the term. I still have no idea how he thinks whatever it is will not cause the Iranian opposition to rally 'round the flag as Israelis would do if the same were done to Israel. And maybe somebody can tell me what a 'Judeo Masonic Liar' is. Is it anything like a 'Papist Protestant Prostitute?' I've seen both terms but have no clue as to what either term means.
Somewhere ive red today that some rabbi told that medevedev ist note evil. Myself I like the little Russian guy- he rocks- he does not lock like he pulls the trigger. He looks like a quit person, someone you can have a wodka with May be just may be it could be evaluated to bring “Ivan el not so much terrible” in some peace and freedom engagements in Iran. I mean deeply unconfirmed inside they must pie in their pants with the entire warm up fanatics. May be just may be for tolerating liberation of the millions of Iranian youngsters (who want and deserve freedom just like any human on earth) we should give them some parts of Georgia bag. It is not brave what I am writing it is commonsense. My lines won’t be printed anyhow therefore I am writing. It is never possible to make someone completely happy- but if everyone is at least a little bit happy than it means something- most of all it means peace.
You'd wipe put egypt, syria, Leb and where ever else the wind drifts. All for a tiny piece of the DESERT, DA. Israel on the other hand, were to send a few their way, would DESTROY a lot of Russians, ONLY... Both countries are not BARBARIC and the scenario would never happen, but with iran and the rest of the henchman in the ME probably wouldnt hessitate as they are use to killing each other and anyone for that matter
He thinks he is above laws. He should allow inspection at his nuclear site. Israel is a nuclear state already. At least Iran allows nuclear inspectors to come to their nuclear sites. Iran officially said that they have a peaceful nuclear program. Netanyahu has no respect to himself, his country has about 12,000 nuclear heads. Is it because "goyim" can't have nuclear, but a Jewish state can have? Netanyahu is asking for more sanctions which will hurt all the Iranian people. I wonder what would be his reaction if the world put sanctions on Israel for having nuclear weapons. At that point the world would be "anti-Semitic". Double standards!!!! synagogue of satan will not last too long!
To bad that they are only interested in the money! Buy the things and use them for flour pots... Islam is already knocking on their door, one hand to be friends while sliding between the cracks for an invasion The Bear is turning into a Camel
You probably do not even realise how much Israeli technology you use. If Iran does not diversify its economy it wont be that long before they will be worth squat. Of course you knew that didnt you.
The great Russia is no more. Russia's policy of appeasing Israel and the West and forgoing its vital sphere of influence on the world stage would degraded it further. For what?. The arrogant West would like to see Russia as an empty space hungry, cold and disoriented. China once isolated and hated had replaced Russia as a would-be counter balance to Western arrogant powers.
Although not related to this tag, I have a question for you. The Americans just killed 12 civilians including at least four children with an errant missile strike. Where is your outrage?
Knowking where you come from, you can nominate a few.
"Lets end this once and for all" I think this time Chris you have finaly lost it. You are actually advocating a nuclear war to finaly destroy Israel. Your hatred knows no bounds.
He?s a troglodyte.... The only troglodytes that i know of are people in Australia (there is a whole sub-Terrain village) west bank and i heard of a cave home in Arizona... But your comparisons are a little out of date... Perhaps you are the troglodyte...
History has shown time and time again that the biggest anti-Semites are former Jews... And with you arrogant rants on Haaretz and a public admission that you converted to Christianity in the 80's proves that you fit the anti-Jewish stereo type to a key... Perhaps you should drop your anti-Jewish views and start acting like a proper Christian...
Does Israel stop selling to whoever buys? course not. Money is Money. It makes the world go around. Why Netanyahu is afraid of Iran having one bomb when he has got 200 hundreds. What cause me to die of laughing is that with one bomb "Iran is a Threat to World Peace" said Netanyahu. Does Iran's bomb is that powerful that it can OBLITERATE the World cities.? Ha Ha Ha Ha
if a nuclear exchange were to start because of irans nuke program, and russia got involved, and the US got involved, and france got involved, well linwaithe, guess what will happen to your cozy little islamist island nation you used to call great britain? you too will perish. NO ONE WILL BE LEFT OUT. Mybe polynesia, but not much else...in any event, you keep on advocating for a nuclear iran..that shows how smart you really aren't..lol... what's your obsession with israel anyhow? you wouldn't happen to be one of those dirty arab british folks eh? or maybe your just a sad disciple of oswald mosely. a fine heritage your people have there...imperialists who screwed up so much of the world...bloody brits...only winston had class and balls.
Your prejudices make you so blind,you even couldn't read the article properly: Won't happen,boys, sorry!
if a nuclear exchange were to start because of irans nuke program, and russia got involved, and the US got involved, and france got involved, well linwaithe, guess what will happen to your cozy little islamist island nation you used to call great britain? you too will perish. NO ONE WILL BE LEFT OUT. Maybe polynesia, but not much else...in any event, you keep on advocating for a nuclear iran..that shows how smart you really aren't..lol... what's your obsession with israel anyhow? you wouldn't happen to be one of those dirty arab british folks eh? or maybe your just a sad disciple of oswald mosely. a fine heritage your people have there...imperialists who screwed up so much of the world...bloody brits...only winston had class and balls.
free of charge and other countries can not get deffensive arms fully paid for. This is a travesty of justice. israel keeps milking my country . Well enough is enough.
These weapons Netanyahu is asking Russia not to deliver to Iran are pure defensive weapons meant to stop attacking enemy planes from unloading their deadly weapons. It can't be true, that Israel, the one who wants to hit Iranian sites would reach such a deal with Russia. It is for sure a lie of Netanyahu and nothing else. His past says it all, ask his house-maid, she knows it better...
You have a very uniformed view of history and the world. We have listened to Ahmadman's spewing of hatred for the last 5 years. Do a little research and you will be better informed.
Iran is worth a whole lot more to Russia than Israel is; fact of the matter is, Israel is totally worthless to everyone, they have nothing to offer and want this and want that.
this man is a known lier - he huffs and puffs but signifies NOTHING - he is a man with a napolean complex without the power or wit or style even - he's a troglodyte.
when Iran fulfills the obligations that the International Community expects of them. This is the carrot and a stick approach so beloved of Nutenyahu. Further sanctions if requuired, the means to purchase the weapons to defend yourself from Israeli aggression if you comply. For good measure Russia should offer a pact in which if Israel attacks Iran with nuclear weapons then Russia is obliged to defend Iran with it's nuclear arsenal. Lets end this once and for all.
MILITARY DICTATORSHIP DOING DOWN THERE?
....that Russia would hold off on Iran missile sale. I will believe it, when I will hear those words coming directly out of Medvedev's mouth, and not one minute earlier. Unfortunately Mr. Netanyahu has earned himself the rather troubling reputation of a "non-truth- teller" (to put it very nicely) over the past 2 decades....