S-300 deliveries cannot be topic for discussion between Iran and six powers — Deputy FM

VIENNA, April 24 /TASS/. The S-300 deliveries to Iran cannot be a topic for discussion at negotiations with a group of six powers known as "P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany), Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said after the Vienna round of talks on Friday.

"The S-300 theme was invisibly present at some of our bilateral meetings. But, as you may understand, it cannot be a subject for negotiations because systems of this kind are not restricted by any UN Security Council resolutions. Consequently, everybody is going to consider this problem out of the context of the forthcoming decision on the lifting or suspension of sanctions against Iran," the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister stressed.

According to Ryabkov, the Russian delegation raised the question of Iran’s claim against Russia on a contract for delivery of S-300 missile systems at a bilateral meeting with Iranian delegation held on the sidelines of Iran’s negotiations with the P5+1 group of international brokers.

"We raised that question," Ryabkov stressed.

A day earlier, he said that Moscow wanted to see that problem settled.

According to TASS, Iran can file a lawsuit worth $4 billion. But now that Russia has lifted the embargo on S-300 deliveries to Iran, the question is to be discussed by the Russian and Iranian sides.