Bloomberg reported in a story published yesterday, citing an assessment by a Western security official, that Iran has supplied Russia with missiles valued at around $3 billion in support of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine.
اضافة اعلان
According to the report, the official said that contracts signed with Moscow starting in October 2021, prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion, included ballistic missiles and surface-to-air missile systems worth approximately $2.7 billion.
Bloomberg added that these deals involved hundreds of Fateh-360 short-range ballistic missiles, around 500 additional short-range ballistic missiles, as well as nearly 200 surface-to-air missiles linked to air defense systems.
The same assessment indicated that Iran has also delivered millions of rounds of ammunition and artillery shells to Russia. The official noted that these figures do not represent the full scope of Moscow’s purchases, as further equipment deliveries are expected.
Tehran has also supplied Russia with Shahed-136 loitering munitions and transferred technology enabling Russia to manufacture the drones domestically under the name Geran-2. This cooperation was part of an agreement valued at $1.75 billion, signed in early 2023.
According to Bloomberg, the assessment estimates that Russia has spent more than $4 billion on Iranian-sourced military equipment since late 2021.
In a related development, The Times reported in an article published on January 5 that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has prepared a contingency plan to leave the country should widespread unrest and protests pose a serious threat to the Iranian regime, with Moscow cited as a potential destination.
The newspaper said the 86-year-old leader would depart Tehran with a small group of no more than 20 people, including close advisers and family members, if he concludes that military and security forces tasked with suppressing unrest begin to defect, disobey orders, or lose control of the situation.
—Agencies
