MOSCOW : The delivery of advanced Russian-made S-300 air defence missiles to Iran has been delayed for technical reasons, a senior Russian official told the Interfax news agency on Wednesday.

“The delay is due to technical problems. The delivery will be carried out when they are resolved,” Alexander Fomin, deputy head of Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, was quoted as saying.

Russia’s contract to sell the S-300s to Iran has raised fears in the United States and Israel, which believe that Tehran could use the sophisticated air defence missiles to defend its nuclear facilities.

Fomin, whose service oversees Russian arms exports, made the comments in an interview with Interfax during a defence exhibition in New Delhi.