Bloomberg, citing Western security experts, reported on January 12th that Iran had sold nearly $3 billion worth of missiles and other military equipment to Russia to support the war against Ukraine. According to expert estimates, the volume of contracts with Moscow since October 2021 - before the start of Russia's full-scale attack on Ukraine - has reached approximately $2.7 billion.
According to sources, the purchase list includes hundreds of Fath-360 short-range ballistic missiles, as well as about 500 other short-range ballistic missiles and about 200 anti-aircraft missiles designed for air defense systems.
The military rapprochement between Moscow and Tehran escalated following Russia's armed attack on Ukraine in February 2022. The war has led to large-scale sanctions against Russia, and this process is considered one of the most serious crises in Russian-Western relations since the Cold War. According to Bloomberg, it was the supply of Iranian weapons that further strengthened cooperation between the two countries.
According to Western experts, Iran also supplied Russia with millions of rounds of ammunition and artillery shells. At the same time, it is noted that these figures do not cover all purchases, and there may be additional deliveries in the future.
In addition, Tehran provided Russia with Shahed-136 attack drones, as well as technologies that allow them to be produced on Russian territory under the name "Geran-2." This cooperation was carried out within the framework of a $1.75 billion contract signed at the beginning of 2023.
According to sources, in total, since the end of 2021, Russia has spent more than $4 billion on the purchase of Iranian military products. It is noted that the closeness between Moscow and Tehran began to take shape as early as the 2010s, against the backdrop of pressure from Western sanctions and the Iranian nuclear program.
In January 2025, the two countries signed an agreement on strategic partnership, but it did not provide for mutual defense obligations. At the same time, according to sources, Russia did not provide serious assistance to Tehran during the Israeli and US strikes on Iranian territory last year.
Currently, Moscow and Tehran are discussing the development of a trade corridor through Iran to India, as well as expanding cooperation in the financial and banking spheres to mitigate the impact of sanctions. Neither the Russian Ministry of Defense nor the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially responded to Bloomberg's inquiries.
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