Azernews.Az

Qabil Ashirov

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Iran has signed a confidential €500m arms agreement with Russia to acquire thousands of advanced shoulder-fired air defence missiles, according to a report by the Financial Times citing leaked Russian documents and sources familiar with the arrangement.

The deal, concluded in Moscow in December, commits Russia to deliver 500 launch units of the 9K333 Verba man-portable air defence system, along with 2,500 9M336 surface-to-air missiles over a three-year period. Deliveries are scheduled to take place in three tranches between 2027 and 2029.

The agreement was reportedly negotiated between Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport and representatives of Iran’s Defence Ministry and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL). Tehran is said to have formally requested the systems in July 2025, following US and Israeli strikes the previous month.

The disclosure comes at a sensitive moment. Washington and Tehran are due to resume nuclear negotiations in Geneva on 26 February, even as US President Donald Trump has renewed threats of potential military action against Iran. The acquisition of advanced short-range air defence systems is likely to complicate diplomatic efforts, raising concerns about further militarisation amid already strained relations.

The Verba system is designed to target low-flying aircraft, helicopters and drones, enhancing short-range battlefield air defence capabilities. For Tehran, which has faced repeated air defence vulnerabilities during periods of heightened confrontation, the systems could strengthen its layered defence network.

Moscow and Tehran have drawn closer since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Iran has supplied drones and other military equipment used by Russian forces, deepening a strategic alignment that has extended beyond arms transfers into joint military exercises. On 19 February, the two countries conducted naval drills in the Gulf of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean, against the backdrop of reports that US warships had been deployed near Iranian waters.

The growing military cooperation underscores a broader geopolitical convergence. Both countries face extensive western sanctions and share an interest in counterbalancing US influence in their respective regions. Yet the deepening partnership also risks fuelling regional instability, particularly as diplomatic channels between Tehran and Washington remain fragile.

If confirmed, the missile deal would mark one of the most significant recent expansions of Iran’s air defence arsenal, signalling that Moscow and Tehran intend to reinforce their security ties despite mounting international scrutiny.