MOSCOW – There is no reason not to fulfill the contract for the supply of S-300 anti-aircraft missile defense systems to Iran, the Russian Security Council said.

“There is the signed contract that we must fulfill, but supplies have not started yet. This deal is not restricted by any international sanctions, because these are merely defensive weapons,” Russian Security Council Deputy Secretary Vladimir Nazarov told Interfax.

“Any our actions must facilitate global and regional stability, respect for international law and international commitments, including under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and that is another matter,” Nazarov said.

Russia repeatedly stated that S-300 systems are purely defensive. Israel and the United States repeatedly asked Russia to refrain from supplying S-300 systems to Iran.

“Russia received and continues to receive many requests and even demands to supply or not to supply weapons. Those countries that are addressing such calls to us should better look at their own deals with Georgia,” Nazarov said.

Prior to Georgia’s invasion of South Ossetia in August 2008 Russia was trying to convince Western partners not to providing military aid to Tbilisi, he said. “Our calls were ignored. It should be recalled that the Georgian aggression resulted in the deaths among Russian servicemen and Russian civilians,” Nazarov said.

Full interview with V. Nazarov will be posted on the www.interfax.ru website and published in the Kommersant daily on February 15.