MOSCOW, Oct 6, 2008 (AFP) - Russia's arms-export monopoly on Monday denied Israeli claims that it plans to deliver S-300 surface-to-air missiles to Iran or Syria, the Interfax news agency reported.

'We have no information of this kind,' a spokesman for the state-owned firm, Rosoboronexport, said when asked about potential sales of the sophisticated anti-aircraft weapons to Tehran or Damascus.

The denial came as outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was due to arrive in Russia for a two-day visit in which concerns over Iran are expected to top the Israeli agenda.

His defence minister, Ehud Barak, on Sunday urged Russia not to upset the strategic balance in the Middle East with arms sales to Muslim countries.

Israeli media say the Jewish state is concerned by the possible sale of S-300s to Tehran, which could use them to foil Israeli or US airstrikes against sites linked to Iran's alleged nuclear weapons programme.

The S-300 missile, called the SA-10 in the West, has a range of 150 kilometres (90 miles) and is capable of striking a plane up to 30 kilometres (18 miles) high.