Weekend: FT report that Iran sign €500m deal with Russia for advanced air-defence missiles

Summary:

• FT reports Iran agreed €500m arms deal with Russia in December

• Contract covers 500 Verba MANPADS launchers and 2,500 9M336 missiles

• Deliveries scheduled in tranches from 2027 to 2029

• Deal negotiated between Rosoboronexport and Iran’s defence ministry representative

• Tehran formally requested systems in July

Earlier:

Iran has reportedly agreed to a €500 million arms deal with Russia to purchase thousands of advanced shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles, according to a report by the Financial Times.

Citing leaked Russian documents and individuals familiar with the matter, the FT said the agreement was signed in Moscow in December. The contract commits Russia to supply 500 man-portable air defence system (MANPADS) launch units of the Verba type, along with 2,500 associated 9M336 missiles, over a three-year delivery schedule running from 2027 through 2029.

The systems are designed to target aircraft, helicopters and potentially drones at relatively low altitudes, enhancing short-range air defence capabilities. If completed, the deal would represent a significant upgrade to Iran’s mobile air-defence inventory at a time of heightened regional tension.

According to the report, the negotiations were conducted between Rosoboronexport and the Moscow-based representative of Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL). Tehran is said to have formally requested the equipment last July, with documentation reviewed by the FT outlining the scale and timeline of the proposed acquisition.

The timing is notable. In June last year, US forces conducted strikes on three of Iran’s principal nuclear facilities amid escalating hostilities tied to the broader Israel-Iran confrontation. President Donald Trump subsequently stated that key nuclear infrastructure had been destroyed in those operations.

While the long-dated delivery schedule suggests no immediate battlefield shift, the agreement — if verified — underscores continued deepening defence cooperation between Moscow and Tehran. It also signals Iran’s intent to bolster air defence resilience in anticipation of potential future military pressure.

Neither government has publicly confirmed the reported transaction. However, the prospect of expanded Russian arms transfers to Iran is likely to draw scrutiny from Western capitals and could add another layer of complexity to already strained geopolitical dynamics.