普京为恢复向伊朗出售导弹辩解

Russian President Vladimir Putin says Iran's willingness to try to reach a settlement over its nuclear program was behind his decision to clear the way for the possible sale of an S-300 air defense system to Tehran.

Mr. Putin spoke Thursday in an annual live question-and-answer session on Russian television, taking questions from members of the Russian public.

Moscow signed a contract worth $800 million back in 2007 to supply Tehran with five S-300 batteries. But Russia froze the contract three years later after the United Nations Security Council imposed sanctions on Iran.

On Monday, hours after Moscow announced the decision to lift the ban, the U.S. Obama administration expressed concern over the development.

The U.S. State Department said transfer of S-300 missiles to Iran would not violate existing U.N. Security Council sanctions, but the U.S. believes "this is not the time" for the sale, given the unrest in the region.