Israel plans to send one of its most senior security officials to Moscow tomorrow to express concern over Russia’s decision to renew contacts with Iran for the sale of advanced anti-aircraft missiles… Israeli officials said the government will send the Defense Ministry’s Diplomatic-Security Bureau Maj.-Gen. (res) Amos Gilad to try to dissuade the Kremlin from supplying Iran with S-300 missiles – which would significantly complicate any military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities. During his two-day visit in Moscow, Gilad will meet with the Russian chief of staff, the head of intelligence as well as senior defense officials and diplomats.
When this came up during the summer, Israel regretfully informed Russia that they’d be forced to neutralize the S-300s if they were sold to Iran. That would have left the Russians themselves vulnerable, to say nothing of its less than stellar impact on their arms sales. But that was in a climate where Israeli military threats were taken a little more seriously – and where Russia wasn’t desperate for immediate cash.
For its part Iran is developing even more advanced naval assets and deploying them to even more places:
This is exceptionally bad news as a quick look at the map will show. Eritrea stretches to the very tip where the Red Sea meets the Aden Sea. Iranian ships and submarines have deployed an undisclosed number of Iranian troops and weapons at the Eritrean port town of Assab, according to opposition groups, foreign diplomats, and NGOs in the area… I kinda doubt it, and I don’t think this can be seen as anything other than a threat to shut down shipping. While the Iranians can cause all kinds of trouble, shutting shipping lanes around their A/O was always the scariest. Well the doubled down and now threaten two of the largest shipping lanes on Earth.
No worries. Obama can fix this. A panel of top international officials and foreign policy experts said so.
References:
* Russia in talks with Iran over sale of anti-aircraft missiles, despite Israeli objections [Ha'aretz]
* ‘We’ll neutralize S-300 if they’re sold to Iran’ [JPost]
* Russia’s financial crisis will not be televised [FP Passport]
* ‘Iran test-fires sea-to-sea missile’ [JPost]
* Iranian troops and missiles in Eritrea [BlackFive]
* ‘Obama can settle Iranian nuke standoff’ [JPost]
Previously:
* Biden: Russia, Middle East Enemies Will Exploit Obama’s Inexperience (Plus: NYT Discovers Iran Is Training Iraqi Militias)
* Russia Gives Iran Cutting-Edge Anti-Ship Missiles To Give To Hezbollah
* Great News: Russia And Iran Planning OPEC-Style Gas Cartel
