US concerned over Russian sale of defence systems

CRAWFORD (AFP) - The White House expressed concern Wednesday over Iran’s announcement that Russia would supply S-300 air missile defence systems to the Islamic republic.
“We have ongoing concerns about the prospective sale of such weapons to Iran and other countries of concern,” Scott Stanzel, a White House spokesman, said from Crawford, Texas, where President George W. Bush was spending the yearend holiday on his ranch.
Iranian Defence Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar announced Wednesday that Russia would deliver the system, but said the date for the delivery would be unveiled later. Moscow has not confirmed the sale.
The announcement came as Washington is seeking to impose new United Nations sanctions on Iran over its refusal to halt its nuclear programsia to cancel that sale, saying it was a mistake when the UN Security Council had imposed sanctions on Iran’s ballistic missile industry as part of measures against its nuclear drive.