Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak on Thursday warned Russia's visiting deputy foreign minister against any sale of advanced surface-to-air missiles to Iran, a senior official said.
"I would like to express great appreciation to Russia's important role in regional processes — both diplomatic and in the efforts to prevent the destabilisation of the Middle East," Barak's office quoted him as telling Alexander Saltanov.
Barak further urged Saltanov "to avoid selling advanced anti-aircraft missile systems to Iran," a senior defence official told AFP.
The Jewish state has repeatedly expressed its concern over reports that Moscow plans to sell Tehran the S-300 missiles, a sophisticated anti-aircraft system that could be used to foil airstrikes against Iranian nuclear sites.
Russia has nevertheless denied it intended to sell Iran the missiles.
Hawks in the governments of both Israel and the United States have floated the idea of air strikes on Iran to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons.
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