‘Six months’ to deliver arms to Iran says Russia

Russia has said it will be at least six months before it can deliver a missile system to Iran, but the Kremlin confirmed a barter deal to supply Russian goods in exchange for Iranian oil was already being implemented.

The US criticised president Vladimir Putin’s decision to lift a five-year ban on delivery of the S-300 air defence missile system, which would give the Islamic republic’s military a strong deterrent against air attacks.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest also expressed concern at a Russian-Iranian barter deal, which he said had been under discussion for months but had not yet been implemented.