Reports have emerged that Iran is approaching a major agreement with Russia aimed at strengthening air defense. According to Financial Times sources, Tehran has signed a contract worth around 500 million euros to purchase 500 portable Verba launch vehicles and approximately 2,500 9M336 type missiles.
According to the publication, the agreement was formalized in Moscow in December 2025, and the delivery is planned for a three-year period (the FT also mentions a schedule for 2027-2029).
Sources note that Tehran took this step against the backdrop of air threats, especially against the backdrop of increased threats from drones and low-altitude strikes. Verba is being viewed as a mobile system that can be used against such scenarios - low-flying air targets and unmanned aerial vehicles.
There is also this redundant detail: although discussions on agreements on strategic cooperation between Russia and Iran have been ongoing for some time, this time there is a noticeable acceleration of military-technical contacts. It is also noted in open sources that on January 17, 2025, the two countries signed an agreement in the spirit of "comprehensive strategic partnership."
However, an important point: this partnership document has already stated the absence of a "mutual defense obligation," that is, a clause of automatic mutual protection. So, the current rapprochement is more in the logic of cooperation and arms trade, not in the "union" format.
In mid-February, while tensions remained in Tehran-Washington relations, reports emerged that the Russian and Iranian naval forces conducted joint exercises in the southern directions. These maneuvers were mentioned against the backdrop of the Gulf of Oman and nearby waters.
Simultaneously, signals of increased US military involvement in the Middle East intensified. According to Axios, Donald Trump has stated that he is considering deploying another air carrier group in the region if negotiations fail. The FT, through satellite imagery, highlighted the increase in aviation forces in the region.
The conclusion is simple: Iran is trying to "reassemble" its air defense, while Russia is expanding its economic and geopolitical influence through this. The US, along with diplomacy, is also intensifying its demonstrations of force. In this triangle, the most dangerous thing is that every new agreement and every maneuver further strains the nerves in the region.
Read “Zamin” on Telegram!
