Russian Lawmakers Call for Arms to Iran if Syria Is Attacked

Duma doesn't seem on board as yet

MOSCOW, September 11 (RIA Novosti) – Two senior Russian lawmakers called Wednesday for additional shipments of "defensive weapons" to Iran if Washington proceeds with planned airstrikes against Syria, while unconfirmed rumors swirled that the Kremlin was working toward a new agreement on deliveries of missile defense systems to Tehran.

"If the 'party of war' wins out in the USA and the efforts by Syria's enemies … bring results, I find it absolutely justified … for Russia to consider more serious measures, including expanding supplies of defensive weapons to Iran," said Alexei Pushkov, who heads the foreign policy committee of parliament's lower house, the State Duma.

Such a proposal was initially made by Pushkov's deputy, Communist lawmaker Leonid Kalashnikov, but was voted down by the Duma, which passed a resolution on Syria late Wednesday. However, Pushkov said the initiative could be brought back for a revote if the US does indeed attack Syrian government targets, which it is considering doing in retaliation for the suspected use of chemical weapons – an allegation Damascus denies.