Obama denies offering Russia to slow deployment of missile defence shield

US President Barack Obama says he wants to work with Russia to resolve a nuclear stand-off with Iran, but has denied reports he offered to slow deployment of a missile defence shield in exchange for Moscow’s help. Washington has signed deals with Prague on basing part of the defence system, a radar base, in central Bohemia, though the Czech Parliament has not yet voted on the matter. The New York Times reported this week that Mr Obama had sent a letter to Russia’s president, Dmitry Medvedev, suggesting he would pull back from deploying the missile shield if Russia helped stop Iran from developing long-range weapons. Speaking on Tuesday, however, the US president said the letter simply reiterated statements he had made saying the defence system was directed towards Iran, not Russia. Mr Obama said obviously if Iran’s commitment to nuclear weapons was lessened there would be less pressure for or need for a missile defence shield.

The Czech foreign minister, Karel Schwarzenberg, said on Wednesday that nothing had changed regarding plans to build a US radar on Czech territory. He said if Iran gave up its nuclear ambitions the whole situation would change and the missile defence system could be discussed again.

The Czech government has invested considerable political capital in backing the US radar base, which opinion polls have consistently suggested most Czechs are opposed to.