New Delhi, April 23 -- Peru's defense and foreign ministers resigned Wednesday following an announcement by the country's interim president to defer the decision on a $3.5 billion deal for U.S. F-16 fighter jets to his successor who will emerge from a presidential runoff vote in June.

Last week, interim President Jose Maria Balcazar said he lacks the legitimacy as a temporary leader to make the commitment to buy 24 fighter jets manufactured by U.S.-based Lockheed Martin and that his successor should make the decision.

"For us to commit such a large sum of money to the incoming government would be a poor practice for a transitional government," Balcazar said at the time.

U.S. Ambassador Bernie Navarro reacted to the announcement, saying...