Russia denies arm sales to Iran via Syria

MOSCOW, May 23 (Reuters) Russia today said it had not given its agreement for Syria to resell Russian air defence systems to Iran.

Jane's Defence Weekly reported this week that Syria has agreed to supply Iran with at least 10 out of the 50 Pantsyr-S1E systems that Damascus is in the process of buying from Russia.

Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov said the terms of the contract with Syria forbade the resale of weapons to third countries unless Russia gave its express agreement.

''Syria has submitted no requests (for resale) to Russia, not for the Pantsyr or for even a single bullet,'' Ivanov, who is in overall charge of Russia's defence sector, told a news conference.

Ivanov did not confirm that Iran had acquired any of the air defence systems from Syria.

REUTERS DS BD1447