Russia's disavowal of the Iranian sale could help to defuse growing US and Israeli anger over its decision last week to deliver P-800 Yakhont cruise missiles worth £200 million to Syria. However Mr Serdyukov, the Russian defence minister, was quoted as saying that Syria has given Moscow a new list of arms it would like to buy. He said Russia was considering the request to see how it might affect the balance of power in the Middle East.