In early Jan 2024, Iran provided Russia with hundreds of short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM). The arms sales to Moscow are part of Tehran's efforts to generate revenue to prop up its ailing economy.
Why Iran is interested in selling missiles and drones to Russia
Cooperation between the countries reached such a level after the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine; thanks to it, the Iranian economy is developing, and the Kremlin always has missiles to fire at Ukrainian cities.
Analysts refer to a Reuters report in which three unnamed Iranian sources said their country had provided Russia with 400 cruise missiles, including the Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar. According to them, Iran has sent at least four batches of such missiles to the Russian Federation since the countries agreed on their sale at the end of 2023.
One Iranian official said Tehran would continue to supply missiles to Moscow because it was "allowed to export weapons to any country". After all, the UN Security Council resolution 2231 suspended sanctions related to Iran's nuclear program and set the dates for the termination of the bans on missiles and other weapons.
A Russian blogger linked to the Kremlin reported on Feb 21 that Iran began supplying missiles to Russia in early January after UN restrictions expired.
What is a benefit for Russia?
According to ISW calculations, Iran may try to get money from Russia in exchange for the supply of missiles. The hacker group Prana Network published documents on Feb 4 that claim the Kremlin pays Tehran approximately $4.5 billion a year to import Iran's Shahed series drones.
Iran's provision of these missile systems could improve Russia's ability to overcome Ukrainian air defences, analysts believe.
The same Kremlin blogger said that the acquisition of Iranian missile systems allows Russian forces to hit "distant Ukrainian targets." The Air Force spokesman, Colonel Yuriy Ignat, also noted that the possible acquisition of ballistic missiles by Russia is a "serious threat to Ukraine."
This Russian-Iranian military exchange is part of deepening military and security relations between the two states. The expansion of these ties especially accelerated after Iran began providing military support to Russia during its invasion of Ukraine in Feb 2022, ISW emphasised.
