Iran likely delays supplying mobile launchers for Fath-360 missiles to Russia - Reuters

An American official, speaking anonymously to the agency, said that Iran had not delivered the launchers at the time the US announced that Iran had supplied weapons.

Without providing further details, a European intelligence official noted that they do not expect Iran to supply the launchers.

Reasons for the delay in delivering the launchers

Additionally, two experts told Reuters that the launchers had not been sent for several reasons.

"One reason Iran didn't send launchers may be that the civilian trucks that Iran modified to launch these and other missiles are not robust enough to operate in rough terrain during Ukraine's harsh winter. Iran modifies trucks made by Mercedes and other companies and turns them into easily disguised missile launchers," the article stated.

At the same time, Fabian Hinz, an expert on Iranian missiles from the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said he could not confirm whether Tehran had delayed the launchers.

According to Hinz, Iran may not have sent the launchers because the civilian trucks modified by Iran to launch these and other missiles are not reliable enough to operate in rough terrain during Ukraine's harsh winter.

He said that Iran modifies trucks manufactured by Mercedes and other companies, converting them into easily concealed missile launchers. This suggests, he added, that Russia could modify its own military-grade vehicles.

A commercial, off-the-shelf Mercedes truck is just not that off-road capable. A standard commercial Mercedes truck is not capable enough for off-road travel," the expert noted.

In turn, David Albright, a former UN nuclear inspector who heads the Institute for Science and International Security, also could not confirm whether Iran had delivered the launchers.

"It could be that they (Iran) are holding back the launchers to provide a little space for these talks. One can imagine that if there are Iranian missiles raining down (on Ukraine), there would be condemnation at the General Assembly," he suggested.

However, the expert was skeptical about any progress, saying he doubted Iran would make the necessary compromises.

Background

On September 10, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Iran had supplied Fath-360 missiles to Russia.

The United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France imposed new sanctions on Iran, while the EU announced it was considering new measures targeting Iran's aviation sector.

At that time, the Kremlin refused to confirm the receipt of the missiles but admitted that its cooperation with Iran included "the most sensitive areas."

Based on shipping data, Reuters established that a Russian cargo ship sanctioned by Washington, Port Olya-3, made several voyages between Iran's Caspian Sea port Amirabad and Russia's port Olya between May and September 12.

What is known about the missile

The Fath-360 missile moves at four times the speed of sound as it approaches its targets. It can also have a range of up to 75 miles (121 km). Specially designed launchers are required to fire these ballistic missiles.

According to Blinken, using the Fath-360 would allow Russia to reserve most of its large arsenal for targets behind the front lines. Blinken did not specify how many Fath-360 missiles Iran had supplied to Russia or when they were sent.