Just days after seemingly halting America’s strike on Syria, Putin vows to arm Iran with missile system

Renewed 2010 deal could see five missiles worth $800million sold to Iran

Rumors that Russia will also build second nuclear reactor inside country

Kremlin source called the deal 'not particularly profitable... but rather political.'

Russian President Vladimir Putin could be about to offer missile systems and a second nuclear reactor to Iran by renewing an old deal.

The offer will reportedly be put to President Hassan Rowhani, the new Iranian premier, when the two meet for the first time on Friday.



If it goes ahead Iran will be supplied with five advanced S-300 surface-to-air missiles, capable of taking down aircraft or guided missiles, valued at $800million (£500million).

Five S-300 missile systems, capable of shooting down aircraft and cruise missiles, could be supplied to Iran

A Kremlin source said that the offer could be made when Putin meets Iran's new President Hassan Rowhani for the first time on Friday

The deal, revealed by a Kremlin source to Russia's Kommersant newspaper, would include Russia building a second reactor at Iran's only nuclear plant in Bushehr.

The source told Kommersant that Russia's offer would depend on Iran's withdrawing a $4billion lawsuit that it has lodged at an international court in Geneva against Russia's arms export agency.

Also speaking in Kommersant, Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Putin and Rowhani were expected to discuss 'working together in the nuclear energy sphere' and 'questions of military technical cooperation' at the summit in Bishkek.



The renewed deal will anger both America and Israel who forced Russia to drop it in 2010



The move will anger America and Israel who, in 2010, forced Russia's then-President Dimitry Medvedev to cancel the arms deal following heavy diplomatic pressure.

Russia risks straining relations with the US having just assuaged America over the Syrian crisis following a tense meeting at the G20 summit in Moscow.

Iran is a staunch ally of Syria and President Bashar Al Assad and has taken its diplomatic lead from Russia during the crisis in calling for a halt to talk of military action and insisting on a diplomatic solution.

However, Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quods fighting unit, has said that Iran would support Syria 'until the end' in the face of military action.

Russia will also expect international condemnation if it starts construction on a second nuclear reactor at Bushehr.

A second nuclear reactor could be built in Iran if the deal goes ahead

Iran's only working nuclear facility was completed by Russia and began operating in 2011 after a series of setbacks and sabotages, most notably the American Stuxnet virus which was thought to have shut it down for several months.

Despite repeated assurances from Tehran that the facility is only for peaceful power generation, Western countries remain deeply sceptical.





