Iran agreed secret shoulder-fired missile deal with Russia, FT reports
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MOSCOW – Iran agreed a secret €500 million (S$747.6 million) arms deal with Russia to acquire thousands of advanced shoulder-fired missiles, the Financial Times reported on Feb 22.
The agreement, signed in Moscow in December, commits Russia to deliver 500 man-portable “Verba” launch units and 2,500 “9M336” missiles over three years, the news outlet said, citing leaked Russian documents seen by FT and several people familiar with the deal.
Reuters could not immediately verify the report.
Under the deal, the deliveries are scheduled in three tranches, running from 2027 till end-2029, FT said.
The deal was negotiated between Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport and the Moscow representative of Iran’s Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics, FT said.
Tehran formally requested the systems in July 2025, according to a contract seen by FT. In June 2025, US forces struck Iran’s three main nuclear sites
US President Donald Trump said Iran’s key nuclear facilities were destroyed in the attack.
However, according to a preliminary US intelligence assessment at the time, the US air strikes did not destroy Iran’s nuclear capability and only set it back by a few months.
Iranian officials have repeatedly said Tehran had recovered from the damage incurred during the war and that its capabilities are better than ever.
Russia has a strategic partnership treaty with Iran, although it does not include a mutual defence clause.
Earlier in February, a Russian naval corvette conducted manoeuvres with the Iranian navy in the Gulf of Oman, according to Russia’s Defence Ministry. REUTERS
