MOSCOW/ TEHRAN: Iran has finalized a confidential €500 million (approximately $589 million) arms agreement with Russia to procure advanced man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS), marking a significant step in rebuilding its air defense network severely damaged during last year’s 12-day conflict with Israel.
According to a report by the Financial Times, citing leaked Russian documents and individuals familiar with the deal, the contract was signed in Moscow in December 2025. It obligates Russia to supply 500 man-portable “Verba” (9K333) launch units and 2,500 associated 9M336 missiles over a three-year period.
Deliveries are scheduled in three tranches between 2027 and 2029.
The Verba system is one of Russia’s most advanced shoulder-fired, infrared-guided MANPADS, designed to counter low-altitude threats including cruise missiles, helicopters, low-flying aircraft, and drones. It is particularly effective against small, mobile targets and can be operated by individual troops.
Under the terms outlined in the documents:
- Each 9M336 missile is priced at approximately €170,000.
- Each Verba launch unit is priced at approximately €40,000.
The agreement was negotiated between Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport and a representative of Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL) in Moscow.
Iran formally requested the Verba systems in July 2025, shortly after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June that year exposed vulnerabilities in its integrated air defenses. During the subsequent war with Israel, Iran’s air defense infrastructure suffered heavy losses, allowing Israeli aircraft greater operational freedom.
This deal represents Iran’s most substantial effort to date to restore short-range, low-altitude protection capabilities amid heightened regional tensions, including ongoing threats from Israel and the United States.
No official confirmation has been issued by Moscow or Tehran at the time of reporting, and the Financial Times noted that some units may have already been delivered ahead of the formal schedule.
The transaction underscores deepening military cooperation between Russia and Iran, which has intensified since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and amid shared opposition to Western policies in the Middle East.
Further developments are anticipated as geopolitical dynamics in the region continue to evolve.
