Paper: Saudis Offer Russia Deal To Break with Iran
MOSCOW - Saudi Arabia has offered to buy Russian arms worth $2.4 billion (1.5 billion euros) if Moscow stops supporting Iran, a Russian newspaper reported July 15, citing diplomatic sources.
"The kingdom's government advised Moscow to cut back its cooperation with Tehran, and in exchange it held out the prospect of profitable contracts with Saudi Arabia," the daily business newspaper Kommersant wrote.
A spokesman for Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin denied the report.
"Any claims that military-technical cooperation between Russia and Saudi Arabia is in any way linked to Russian-Iranian dialogue are inappropriate and do not correspond to reality," the Interfax news agency quoted Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying.
The newspaper report came one day after Putin met with the secretary-general of Saudi Arabia's Security Council, Prince Bandar bin Sultan.
Citing sources in Russia's defense industry, the newspaper said Saudi Arabia was ready to buy at least 100 BMP-3 combat vehicles, 150 T-90 tanks and 160 Mi-17, Mi-26 and Mi-35 helicopters.
Kommersant put the total value of the equipment at about $2.4 billion.
Moscow has opposed stiffer international sanctions on Iran for its nuclear program, which Tehran says is civilian in nature.
Relations between Russia and Saudi Arabia - a traditional U.S. ally - have warmed considerably in recent years.
Paper: Saudis Offer Russia Deal To Break with Iran - Defense News
MOSCOW - Saudi Arabia has offered to buy Russian arms worth $2.4 billion (1.5 billion euros) if Moscow stops supporting Iran, a Russian newspaper reported July 15, citing diplomatic sources.
"The kingdom's government advised Moscow to cut back its cooperation with Tehran, and in exchange it held out the prospect of profitable contracts with Saudi Arabia," the daily business newspaper Kommersant wrote.
A spokesman for Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin denied the report.
"Any claims that military-technical cooperation between Russia and Saudi Arabia is in any way linked to Russian-Iranian dialogue are inappropriate and do not correspond to reality," the Interfax news agency quoted Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying.
The newspaper report came one day after Putin met with the secretary-general of Saudi Arabia's Security Council, Prince Bandar bin Sultan.
Citing sources in Russia's defense industry, the newspaper said Saudi Arabia was ready to buy at least 100 BMP-3 combat vehicles, 150 T-90 tanks and 160 Mi-17, Mi-26 and Mi-35 helicopters.
Kommersant put the total value of the equipment at about $2.4 billion.
Moscow has opposed stiffer international sanctions on Iran for its nuclear program, which Tehran says is civilian in nature.
Relations between Russia and Saudi Arabia - a traditional U.S. ally - have warmed considerably in recent years.
Paper: Saudis Offer Russia Deal To Break with Iran - Defense News
