Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow is prepared to provide Iran with more military gear upon a request from Tehran.
“Now … bans on providing Iran with certain types of weapons—tanks, armored personnel carriers and combat aircraft—have been lifted and transferred to a permissive mode. So Iran can voice interest in these types of weapons. If we receive any requests, we will, of course, consider them,” Lavrov said on Wednesday as cited by Sputnik.
“I will repeat that the S-300s are not covered by any restrictions, neither are many types of small arms and light weapons. Therefore, all possibilities are open here. As for the permissive mode, which requires UN Security Council approval, if and when Iran expresses an interest in acquiring any of these items, the appropriate procedures will be implemented.”
In a military parade in Tehran on April 17, Iran displayed parts of the S-300 air defense missile system, which had recently been supplied by Russia.
Iran purchased the air defense system from Russia in 2007. But the contract, worth over $800 million, was revoked after then-president Dmitry Medvedev banned the supply of the systems to Tehran in 2010.
However, Russian President Vladimir Putin decided in April last year to lift the ban on the S-300 delivery following Iran’s nuclear deal with major powers.
