Israel criticises Russian decision to sell advanced missiles to Iran

Israeli Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz on Monday criticized Russia's decision to supply Iran with an advanced air-defense missile system.

"This is a direct result of the legitimacy that Iran is receiving from the nuclear deal that is being prepared, and proof that the Iranian economic growth which follows the lifting of sanctions will be exploited for arming itself and not for the welfare of the Iranian people," Steinitz said in a statement Monday.

"Instead of demanding that Iran desist from terrorist activity that it is carrying out in the Middle East and throughout the world, it is being allowed to arm itself with advanced weapons that will only increase its aggression," Steinitz added.

Israeli officials were quoted by local media as saying that the supply of this system to Iran may very well defend the Islamic Republic in case of an airstrike on its nuclear facilities.

Russia initially signed an agreement to sell Iran the S-300 air defense system in 2008, but the deal was frozen amid the international community's sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.

Russian officials said Monday that following the framework agreement reached by Iran and the world powers earlier this month, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree lifting the ban on shipping the system.

The framework agreement is a substantial landmark in Iran's relations with the international community, after a standoff of over a decade.

The parties started negotiating an agreement over Iran's nuclear program in mid-2013, with the P5+1 countries acting to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions and Iran demanding the lifting of economic sanctions by world countries. A final deal is supposed to be reached by June 30.

Israeli officials have repeatedly expressed their dissatisfaction with the framework agreement, which they claim does not require Iran to forego many of its enrichment capabilities, and have urged world leaders to "wait for a better agreement" than the current one.

Israeli officials have hinted at a possible Israeli airstrike on Iranian nuclear facilities in recent years, vowing that Israel would "do whatever it takes to defend itself."