Iranian report says Russia preparing transfer of S-300

Russia and Iran have “unity of views” on Syria, a spokesman for the Kremlin says after President Vladimir Putin held talks in Tehran with supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (R) talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) summit in Tehran on November 23, 2015. (Atta Kenre/AFP)

Describing the meeting as “quite constructive,” the spokesman says Iran and Russia are against “external attempts to dictate scenarios of political settlement in Syria” and any change in leadership should come through elections.

Meanwhile, Iranian envoy in Russia Mehdi Sanaei said Russian steps to transfer the S-300 missile defense to Iran have already begun, according to an Iranian report. The transfer and deployment of the system will be completed by the end of 2015, according to the agreement between the two countries.

The system is considered among the finest of its type in the world and a possible serious threat to Israel’s air supremacy.

Russia said it would move ahead with the deal after the Lausanne understandings were reached in April, laying the groundwork for the nuclear agreement signed between Iran and world powers in Vienna in early July.

— AFP contributed