Iran secretly boosting power, signs missile deal with Russia

Tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate as Iran reportedly strengthens its military capabilities through a covert weapons agreement with Russia, just as fears persist in Washington that a US strike on Iranian territory could occur at any moment. Tehran, for its part, has stated publicly that it is prepared to defend itself against any possible attack. Amid this heightened atmosphere of brinkmanship, Tehran has clandestinely advanced its defence procurement from Moscow in a major move to rebuild its aerial shield.

According to a report in the Financial Times, Iran and Russia finalised a confidential arms deal in Moscow in December last year worth roughly €500 million (about US $589 million), under which Moscow has agreed to supply Tehran with advanced portable air‑defence missiles and launchers over the next three years.

The contract commits Russia to deliver 500 9K333 Verba man‑portable air defence launch units and 2,500 9M336 surface‑to‑air missiles between 2027 and 2029, with some shipments potentially arriving earlier than scheduled. These systems are designed to defend against low‑flying aircraft, helicopters, drones and cruise missiles, offering a more mobile and less radar‑dependent layer to Iran’s air‑defence network.

Leaked Russian documents seen by the Financial Times show the deal was brokered by Russia’s state‑owned exporter Rosoboronexport and Iran’s Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), and that Tehran formally requested the equipment last July — shortly after a 12‑day conflict with Israel, during which US forces joined Israeli strikes against Iranian nuclear infrastructure.

Key Elements of the Missile Deal

The Verba missiles, introduced into Russian service in the mid‑2010s, are among Moscow’s most modern shoulder‑fired air defence systems, incorporating infrared guidance and designed to be rapidly deployed by small, highly mobile teams.

This agreement — concluded away from public scrutiny — highlights the growing military cooperation between Tehran and Moscow, despite heavy economic sanctions and international scrutiny. Western officials have not independently verified the reports, and neither Iran nor Russia has publicly acknowledged the deal. Nevertheless, analysts say it reflects Iran’s determination to fortify its defence infrastructure in anticipation of future confrontation and to lessen vulnerability to high‑altitude and fixed radar attacks.

The timing of the contract also underscores Tehran’s response to the partial destruction of its conventional air defence assets during recent conflict, pushing it to seek more distributed and hard‑to‑target defensive systems.

Such developments are likely to complicate diplomatic efforts aimed at de‑escalation and could add an additional layer of complexity to already fraught relations between Iran, the United States and its allies in the region.