Iran sells Russia missiles and drones worth billions - Bloomberg
Since 2021, Russia has spent $4 billion on Iranian weaponry (Photo: Getty Images)
In recent years, Iran has sold Russia missiles and drones worth several billion dollars to assist Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in his war against Ukraine, reports Bloomberg.
According to an official speaking on condition of anonymity, Iran’s contracts with Russia since October 2021, before the full-scale war in Ukraine, total approximately $2.7 billion.
The purchases included hundreds of Fath-360 short-range ballistic missiles, around 500 other short-range ballistic missiles, and roughly 200 surface-to-air missiles as part of air defense systems.
Bloomberg also reports that Iran has supplied Russia with millions of rounds of ammunition and shells; however, this estimate does not reflect the full extent of Moscow’s purchases from Tehran, as additional equipment deliveries are expected.
Additionally, Iran provided Russia with Shahed-136 kamikaze drones and shared the technology that allowed Russia to produce them domestically under the name Geran-2, as part of a $1.75 billion contract signed in early 2023.
Overall, it is estimated that since late 2021, Russia has spent over $4 billion on Iranian military equipment.
Bloomberg notes that since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Moscow and Tehran have grown closer. The war has led to sweeping sanctions against Russia and the most serious confrontation between the Kremlin and the West since the Cold War, and Iran’s arms supplies have further strengthened the partnership between the two countries.
What else is known about Tehran-Moscow ties
Iran, whose government has been suppressing ongoing protests, has sought to deepen its ties with Russia since the 2010s, fearing that the West could isolate the country over its nuclear program.
Although Iran signed a strategic partnership agreement with Russia in January 2025, it does not include a mutual defense pact, and Moscow did not provide any significant support to Tehran during Israeli and US strikes on Iran last year.
At the same time, Russia is building a trade route with Tehran connecting it to India in an effort to mitigate the impact of sanctions. Officials have also discussed expanding financial and banking cooperation.
In September 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported that Russia was receiving short-range ballistic missiles from Iran. In response, the US State Department stated that Washington and its allies were prepared to take action over the possible transfer of these missiles.
Later that month, EU intelligence confirmed that Iran had supplied ballistic missiles to Russia.
While the Iranian Ministry of Defense denied the deliveries, one Iranian lawmaker confirmed them. According to him, Tehran earns dollars from weapons sales and circumvents sanctions through its cooperation with Russia.
