The countries who signed in favor of sanctions, including Russia and China, will be the same countries who will approve a resolution for US and Israel to invade Iran. By not shipping the missiles ordered almost 3 years ago, it is accepting Iran being bombarded without being able to defend itself. And yes, by flirting with Washington, Russia will be the biggest loser including its pride.

Russia is not as independent as I assumed she would be once the USSR dissolved. Whatever original intention Russia may have had to deliver the S-300 system to Iran, has now been replaced with a desire to kowtow down to Obama "The Magnificent". The Russians should be ashamed of their cowardly collapse in front of American pressure. If the folks in Kremlin believe that America will throw some "goodies" at them, because they stabbed Iran in the back, they will be seriously disappointed.

The biggest loss is Russia's credibility with the world. The Iranian issue has been followed all over the world, and probably for the first time in the world's history, created a political awareness in population. Recently, an official from Russian government made a statement that the defensive weapons are not covered by the sanctions, and that the delivery will be completed. Now, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs punting this to President, it is absolutely, positively, decidedly --- as unclear as ever. It would be so much better for all officials to refrain from making premature comments, as if the decisions have been made. Either those official have been misled, or they are speaking out of turn. It is true that sanctions do not cover defensive weapons, no matter how will this be spun. And the power plant, including the nuclear material for the power plant, have already been checked out, and transported from Russia under the supervision of IAEA. So, that is not the issue either. The public will never be fully informed of the deceptions that are part of the "diplomacy". What is called "Iran issue" is much more then the rights of an NPT member to nuclear energy and the nuclear cycle to produce it. The "issue" now packs the following issues: Iran regime change goals by some in US administration, war with Iran irrespective of "negotiations" as desired by Isreal and some in Us administration, gas and oil interests in Iran, Iran relationships to the region and the pipelines, role of Turkey in the region, Turkey's distancing from NATO, Gaza status, Turkey-Israel relations, the status of West Bank and the Palestinian Authority as they rule without elections, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey free trade zone, and visa free travel, Turkey-Russia visa free travel, Turkey-Russia nuclear power plant, Blue Stream II & South Stream.

America is impotent as long as Obama is in charge. In other words, America is not part of the world equation. Americans are in an uproar over the oil spill in the gulf and rising unemployment and Obama's approval rating has sunk from 70% to 40% and is still falling. When Russia sent arms to Venezuela not once but twice, Obama did nothing. Even the American press ignored the story. This would not have happened under competent Presidents like Reagan, Kennedy or Eisenhower. So, if Russia wanted they could do anything they want to do now. Granted, Obama and Mrs.Clinton may protest but that is all they will do . Babies do cry when their diapers are a mess!

No weapons system is purely defensive, and I don't believe the Russian argument that it is. Just like I don't believe the NATO argument that missile systems in Poland are "purely defensive" and therefore Russia should not worry. Missile systems in Iran could very well be pointed at Israel, just because the Iranian prexy likes to act insanely at times and get people upset. Russia is in a bad situation no matter what happens. If the missiles get delivered, there will be condemnation from everybody else who signed up for the sanctions. If the missiles don't get delivered, then Iran will say that Russia is not a trustworthy business partner. I do have to laugh, though, at the use of that "purely defensive" argument. If the American government (which is pushing the sanctions more than anybody else) wants to quibble over the meaning, Russia can point to the NATO missiles on its front porch and demand clarification over their intended purpose. Again. (heeheehee)

HUMAN RIGHTS for all of World: http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/ Article 3. * Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person. ------------------------------------------ Now Iran did beg (pay money of fair value) to Russia for such right. Every body of sane mind knows the story of whats going to happen. Millions of innocent deaths that would have been prevented with the Defense system. Its the knowing action of Russia of not supplying this right when agreeing to do so. This is a type of mass murder. And trust?

Kihnu is absolutely correct. If President Medvedev reads this, which he reads a lot on the internet, HE SHOULD KNOW THAT!!! He won't get anything in return for helping US government. The US has never wanted an equal that makes its own decisions. Medvedev, your Foreign policies are bad moves. US foreign policies promote Nuclear proliferation whit their dealings with N.Korea, Pakistan, India, and Israel. They've proven if you have them you gain bargaining power. And Iran is a signature to the NPT. Israel is not, India is not... Iran is completely surrounded with US military bases and has US naval ships ALWAYS off their coast while receiving endless threats. Nice job backstabbing Iran... Added that new FSB powers enacted and our government is misbehaving lately (((((.

Today, Russia has reversed that position entirely, and the Kremlin says that the sanctions actually do forbid the sale. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin insists that the sale has been frozen. Iran was keen to buy the missiles, the backbone of Russia’s air defense, as a hedge against the oft-threatened Israeli attack against them. Israel repeatedly dispatched officials to Russia regarding the possible delivery, on differing occasions pleading with Russia or threatening them over the possible delivery. P.J. Crowley told reporters in Washington. "We appreciate Russia's restraint in the transfer of the S-300 missile system to Iran." ================= This is how it is spun in the Evil Empire's media. They also "appreciate" Russian lives lost in fighting Adolf's Nazis by allowing Polandiya, Georgia and some Baltic collaborators with Nazis to block Russia's entry into WTO. Is betraying Iran price which had to be paid for purchase of French ships? Did Russia lose the ability to design and build her own Navy?

The best of Russian diplomacy is the capability to control “stability of a situation” being exposed to world’s credibility. It is unique emotional wisdom, which considers credibility as a vaporizing variable along the road of a situation. This is not spinning, as the situation stays controlled (what spin never achieves and always aggravates). Iran is having accumulative instead of hasty – gain. To join the continental partnership with Russia and China is suggested proving low profile talking and ultimate commitment to represent the gravity of the free Islamic dynamic interest and discipline. Euro-Asian (nuclear) core policy actually means that no country should be accepted to partnership, as long it does not remove itself from triggering potential. Time is on Iran side. It means that the buoyancy of the situation does not care for credibility, but for – long lasting.

Resolution 1929 (June 9, 2010) or the "new Munich agreement". The resolution signed by Russia and China will be regarded as a shameful inability to confront any Western "US-Nato-Isra-Hell" agression. China and Russia will be the next victims because the so-called "Security Council" resolution is also directed at Iran allies.

The S-300 is undoubtely the best long-range SAM in the world nowadays. But if delivery becomes unreliable, as it seems, there are immediate alternatives: the Chinese could provide at a relatively short notice a full brigade of their HQ-9, complete with radars, to any potential customer. The irony, if Iran orders them, is that the Americans will be facing their own Patriot technology, transferred to China by Israel...

@ Christian The S 300 is not the best SAM. The S 400 is, but not yet available for export.The S 500 is expected by 2012 so the S 400 would probably be available for export then too. However you are right,If the Russians do not provide a SAM system, the Iranians will get it elsewhere. In my opinion I cant see what the problem is, after all its a purely defensive system and cannot be used aggressively in any way. Anyone against this sell simply is looking for a safer way to invade Iran

The fact that the USSR has\perished and today's Russia is anti-Communist, does not mean that Putin and Medvedev should stoop to the multilateral proxy tactics of the US via the UN Security Council. The Iranian sanctions which Russia and China are\supporting barring their own buisness and economic interest smacks of the highest order of hypocrisy. President Medvedev and Premier Putin do you really believe that Iran is the problem here regarding nuclear ploriferation, less than India, Pakistan, Israel? Who invaded Iraq under a pretext of lies? Iran or the US?Oh yes, for you guys and China these sanctions will not harm your business interests. But what you have done by siding with the US and their cronies at the UN Security Council, you have proved that like all other global bulllies, you are no different, but you are worse, you have allowed yourselves to be used by the US to fight one of the enemies in their perennial vendetta against what George Bush called the axis of evil. So you are now part of Obama's boys(and girls) as he continues George Bush's campaign of global terror. Good to know.

So David thinks Obama is impotent because he did not threaten Venezuela and Russia for the arms 2x sale between the two. So you think US is correct being the global bully making hypocritical human rights noises, but supporting Israeli excesses in Gaza, building nuclear power in India while condemning the same in Iran and North Korea, visiting a crippling embargo in Cuba and invading Iraq and Afghanistan under false pretext. I really wonder what sort of logic is that? Or worse still the real reason for your detest for Barack Obama, who is currently duty fully contintuing the legacies of Reagan, Bush, et al.

Let's stop being emotional about this and start being reasonable. These are the facts: 1. Iran has been an unreliable partner. Last year they first agreed to send uranium to Russia for enrichment, then declined. Just recently, after Brazilian effort, they first agreed to send uranium to Turkey, then, yet again, declined. Meanwhile, they keep enriching uranium - their stockpiles are now double of last year's. 2. Iran hides their nuclear facilities from intl inspectors and they repeatedly lied about the nature of their nuclear program to all, inlcuding Russia. 3. All the interviews with Iranians I've ever heard have always been very negative and critical towards Russia, which always struck me as odd, considering that everyone, incl. Iranians, seem to think Russia is obligated to save them from their own stupidity and madness. 4. Meanwhile, it is thanks to Russia that these sanctions have been reduced to what Iranians themselves call "laughable" nothing. Russians insisted that sanctions do not cause any humanitarian harm, nor any damage to the Iranian economy. 5. Russians are rightly concerned about Iranian nuclear program, they live very close to Iran. And even if Iranian nuke doesn't target Russia (which, who knows, knowing how unreliable Iranians are), Russians can't afford yet another war happeing on its southern frontiers, whether it will be Iran/Israel, Iran/US, etc. 6. Has anyone leaving here these overly emotional comments thought that perhaps passing watered down sanctions was the only way to stop US/Israel from attacking Iran today? However, in conclusion I have to say: Mr. Medvedev, Russia should do it's best to supply S-300's to Iran, otherwise, I'm afraid, balance of power will be much distorted. (And I'm far from being Iran's fan, believe me.)

If Russia does not deliver, then one can come to the conclusion that Russia is beholden to the Israel lobby just as the US has been for decades. I pray that is not the case. fred.....usa

June 12, 2010, 04:22, David wrote > America is impotent as long as Obama is in charge. In other words, America is not part of the world equation. Americans are in an uproar over the oil spill in the gulf and rising unemployment and Obama's approval rating has sunk from 70% to 40% and is still falling. When Russia sent arms to Venezuela not once but twice, Obama did nothing. Even the American press ignored the story. This would not have happened under competent Presidents like Reagan, Kennedy or Eisenhower. So, if Russia wanted they could do anything they want to do now. Granted, Obama and Mrs.Clinton may protest but that is all they will do . Babies do cry when their diapers are a mess! Reagan competant????? The man was just a B actor, who really was quite senile in his second term, who was behind the blood shed in Latin America.just ask the Chileans for starters; he is also responsible for the genesis of much of the problems in our country today. fred...USA

Iran could make all this go away if they simply complied with the terms of the non-proliferation treaty which they signed. The reality is that (unlike India, Israel and Pakistan) they signed the NPT because they wanted access to nuclear technology from other treaty signatories but they have deceived and obstructed UN inspectors for years. The S300s would probably have been useful to Iran: Some time ago, Israel had purchased a large number of earth penetration bombs from the USA and the latest is that Saudi Arabia has apparently just performed an exercise in which they turn off a section of their air defence systems, which would allow them to be blind to Israeli aircraft heading to and from bombing raids on Iran's more controversial nuclear facilities (i.e. the underground facilities, not inspected by the UN). It seems that the Saudi's fear of a nuclear-armed Iran is greater than their hatred of Israel. It is worth remembering that Israel had no problems in destroying an alleged nuclear site in Syria, despite their use of S300 air defence systems.

I read with great interest all comments and we more or less have the same opinion. But while reading, something popped up in my mind. We all criticized Russia but what about China? China also went along with the sanctions. I like Medvedev, he seems to be a good person but too soft on international scene. I hope Putin comes back with his iron first. I am also disappointed in Lavrov. One day, in front of a audience, he says one thing, and the following day he says the contrary. But anyway, the damage is done. Angela Merkel, Sarkozy et al can sleep well before they get into action, that is to invade Iran. Anybody who read the PNAC documents knows why Iraq and Afghanistan were invaded and Iran is on the agenda's path. No matter what Iran will do, the country will be invaded and Russia and China know it. Will they watch it on TV or will they react? Will they accept passively Iranian people being slaughtered by the US or try to stop them once and for all.