Tehran, Iran – The Financial Times has revealed a secret Iranian-Russian arms deal worth €500 million ($589 million), which includes thousands of advanced shoulder-launched missiles. The deal, reportedly finalized in Moscow last December, involves the delivery of 500 Verba launchers and 2,500 9M336 missiles over three years, from 2027 to 2029. This information comes from leaked Russian documents and sources familiar with the deal. The report has not yet been officially verified.
Deal details
The documents revealed that negotiations took place between the Russian state-owned arms exporter Rosoboronexport and a representative of the Iranian Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics in Moscow. Tehran formally requested the systems in July, following a US-Israeli airstrike campaign targeting Iranian nuclear facilities in June. US President Donald Trump claimed the strikes destroyed key nuclear facilities, while initial intelligence assessments indicated they had only temporarily delayed Iran’s nuclear program.
Strategic context
The deal comes amid sharply escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran. The Trump administration has threatened a major military strike if diplomatic negotiations fail. Russia and Iran have a strategic partnership treaty, though it does not include a mutual defense clause. The Russian navy conducted joint exercises with the Iranian navy this February as part of ongoing military cooperation between the two countries.
Repercussions of the deal
This deal is seen as a significant boost to Iran’s military capabilities, particularly given the escalating regional tensions in the Middle East. Tehran aims to use it to bolster its defenses and expand its stockpile of advanced missile systems to counter any potential threats. This could further complicate matters for Iran with the international community and the United States.
