MOSCOW Ñ Iran is expected to sign a major weapons contract with Russia as early as this week.

Russian defense sources said the contract will be signed during the visit by Iranian Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani. Shamkhani arrives in Moscow later this week for a four-day visit and is expected to complete the final details of a weapons deal.

The sources said the weapons contract will be a phased deal that could amount to $1.5 billion. They said the agreement will mostly concern upgrades of air and land platforms as well as strategic weapons.

"Our discussions will concern only defensive weapons such as ground-to-air defense systems and conventional weapons," Russian Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov said.

Moscow and Teheran are expected to sign a separate accord that will concern Iran's nuclear reactor project at Bushehr. Russia plans to accelerate the Bushehr project so it can be completed by 2004.

But Iranian sources said Shamkhani has delayed his trip to Wednesday to avoid being in Moscow during the scheduled visit by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Sharon arrives on Monday to discuss a range of cooperation, including Israel's demand for the reduction of Moscow's strategic aid to Iran. The discussion is expected to focus on Iran's transfer of nuclear technology.

"During his visit, the two sides will discuss forging of a defense, military and technical cooperation based on each country's national laws as well as international conventions," Iranian Defense Ministry spokesman Keivan Khosravi said.

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