MOSCOW, Dec 5: Russia confirmed on Monday plans to sell Iran sophisticated air defence missile systems but said the deal, which has drawn criticism from the United States and Israel, was legal and would not upset the balance of power in the Middle East.

“A contract for delivery to Iran of TOR air defence missile systems has indeed been signed,” local news agencies quoted Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov as saying after a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

“It in no way upsets the balance of forces in the region,” Mr Ivanov said, adding: “Any delivery of weapons by Russia is carried out in the framework of the law and taking account of international obligations.”

Russian media, quoting unnamed senior defence ministry officials, reported on Friday that Iran had agreed to purchase 29 TOR M1 mobile surface-to-air missile defence systems from Russia in a contract worth more than $700 million.

The TOR-M1 is a mobile system designed for operation at medium-and low-altitude against aircraft and guided missiles. Each unit consists of a vehicle armed with eight missiles and a radar that can track 48 targets and engage two simultaneously.

Reports of the deal on Friday drew a swift response from US Under Secretary of State for political affairs Nicholas Burns who was in Moscow at the time. He said Washington was not happy with the sale and had asked for an explanation.

“Any arms sales to Iran, that’s a source of concern,” a US State Department official said later that day in Washington. “And there are certain US laws which govern our potential reaction to that.”

Ivanov said the weapons were strictly defensive in nature and could only be used against objects in the air and within close range of the systems. He said the weapons could not be used to strike targets on the ground.

The Russian foreign ministry also confirmed the sale and stressed the defensive nature of the weapons.—AFP