Russia to supply Iran with thousands of portable missiles under a secret €500 million deal
Moscow to deliver Verba launchers and 9M336 rockets as tensions with Washington rise.
Russia has agreed to sell Iran thousands of advanced shoulder-fired air defence missiles under a secret €500 million deal, according to reports citing leaked documents and sources familiar with the agreement (via Financial Times).
Under the deal, Moscow will supply 500 man-portable 9K333 Verba launch units and 2,500 9M336 missiles over a three-year period. The systems, designed to target low-flying aircraft, cruise missiles and drones, would significantly bolster Iran's depleted air defences following last year's conflict with Israel. Deliveries are expected between 2027 and 2029, though some equipment may already have been transferred.
The agreement was reportedly signed in Moscow in December, months after US forces intervened during a brief but intense confrontation between Iran and Israel. The new systems could complicate any potential US air operations, as President Donald Trump has recently threatened limited military strikes if Tehran fails to agree to a nuclear deal.
Iran's air defence network suffered heavy damage during Israeli operations that, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, were aimed at dismantling layers of protection around nuclear and military sites. The reported purchase signals deepening military ties between Moscow and Tehran, even after Russia refrained from directly intervening in last year's fighting...