The United States on Friday lifted sanctions against three Russian entities implicated in efforts to aid Iran's nuclear weapons or missile programs.

The decision, which was published in the Federal Register, comes days after President Barack Obama's administration announced it had obtained support from Russia for imposing new UN Security Council sanctions against Iran.

"Russia has adapted its approach to Iran and shown restraint in arms transfers," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told AFP, explaining the decision.

He cited as a "good example" Moscow's having refrained from delivering on a contract to supply Iran with S300 air defense missiles.

"This has given us confidence to lift these penalties while protecting our non-proliferation interests," he said.

Sanctions that were imposed on Rosoboronexport, the Russian state arms exporter, in October 2008 were removed.

"A determination has been made to terminate sanctions imposed on Rosoboronexport (ROE) pursuant to Section 3 of the Iran, North Korea and Syria Nonproliferation Act," the Register said.

Sanctions imposed in 1999 were also lifted against Moscow Aviation Institute. They were slapped for what the Washington Post said was aiding Iran's development of ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons.

The Obama administration also lifted sanctions against D. Mendeleyev University of Chemical Technology of Russia, also imposed in 1999 for what the Post said was aiding Iran's missile program.

For both these entities, the Register said, "it is in the foreign policy or national security interests of the United States" to remove the sanctions imposed under Executive Order 12938 of November 14, 1994.

The order signed by then president Bill Clinton is aimed at preventing a "foreign country from acquiring the capability to develop, produce, stockpile, deliver, or use weapons of mass destruction or their means of delivery."

And restrictions were also removed from the Tula Instrument Design Bureau, which was also sanctioned in 1999 for, the Post said, supplying anti-tank equipment to Syria.

The Post also reported that since January, the Obama administration has also lifted sanctions against two other Russian firms — Glavkosmos and Baltic State Technical University — for their dealings with Iran.

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