MOSCOW, October 9 (RIA Novosti) - Russia said it would not supply air defense systems to volatile regions, the country's Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Thursday.

Andrei Nesterenko made the statement at a news briefing when asked whether the issue of supplies of Russian air defense systems to Iran and Syria had been discussed during a meeting between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Moscow this week.

"We have repeatedly said that we do not plan to supply those types of weapons to countries located in volatile regions," Nesterenko said.

He said supplying such weapons would run contrary to both Russia's foreign policy and its interest in maintaining stability in different regions.

The spokesman said decisions on arm sales are based on regional security issues and the need to maintain a balance of forces.

The Israeli media earlier said, referring to high-ranking sources in Jerusalem, that Israel's Defense Ministry had been worried by reports of Russian plans to supply guided missile systems to Iran.

On Monday, the Russian arms export monopoly Rosoboronexport said it had no details on any plans to sell Russian surface-to-air missiles to the Middle East.