Updated on Monday, December 22, 2008, 00:00 IST

Moscow, Dec 22: Russia has started deliveries of the highly potent S-300 air defence missiles systems, said to be at par with the American Patriot missiles, to Iran despite fierce opposition from the US and Israel, reports said.

Top Iranian lawmaker Esmaeil Kosari on Sunday had acknowledged that the deal was finalised after several years of negotiations.

Kosari, who is deputy chairman of Iranian parliament's national security and foreign policy committee, had told national IRNA new agency that S-300 SAMs will be deployed in the border areas to enhance national security.

However, Russia on Monday denied that it was delivering S-300 missiles to Iran, saying it was providing only "defensive" anti-aircraft systems to the country.

"The information on the delivery of S-300 air-to-defence systems to Iran, which has appeared in certain media outlets, does not correspond to reality," Moscow's military technical cooperation agency said in a statement.

Russia, which has been denying negotiations with Iran for the sale of missiles, had earlier leaked the news on December 17 through the government-run RIA Novosti, which quoted a 'confidential source' affirming the sale.

The advanced version of the S-300 missile system, called S-300PMU1 (SA-20 Gargoyle), has a range of over 150 kilometres and can intercept ballistic missiles and aircraft at low and high altitudes, making the system an effective tool for warding off possible air strikes, the agency said.

The missiles will deprive the US and Israel of 'impunity' in case of preventive air strikes at Iranian nuclear facilities.

Bureau Report