After October 18, the 2015 resolution of the United Nations Security Council prohibiting Iran from exporting ballistic missile weapons until 2023 will no longer be in effect. According to the most recent assessment published by the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russia may receive Iranian ballistic missiles with a range of more than 300 kilometres after the deadline.
According to Ukrainian and Israeli intelligence, Russia intends to acquire Iranian Fateh-110 and Zolfagar ballistic missiles with a range of at least 300 kilometres. Resolution 2231, which endorsed the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran and established the timelines for sanctions on the sale of specific categories of weaponry, prohibits Tehran’s export of such missiles, as noted by the think tank.
In addition, Russian-Iranian security cooperation has significantly intensified, including in the arms industry, in August and September.
During his recent trip to Iran, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu inspected various drones and missile launchers and met with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Reza Ashtiani. According to the ISW analysis, politicians discussed the expiration dates for export restrictions on Iranian armaments.
In September 2022, Russia began using drones acquired from Iran in its military operations against Ukraine. These kamikaze drones, which are almost exclusively of the Shahed variety, have a range of up to one thousand kilometres and can carry up to fifty kilograms of explosives. Drones like these are being used to launch attacks on critical infrastructure throughout Ukraine.
Analysts revealed in the fall of 2022 that most of the semiconductors and other components used in Shaheds originated in the Western world.
The Iranian government has never admitted to selling drones to Moscow for use in the conflict in Ukraine and continues to deny the allegations. In November 2022, Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, admitted that his country had sold “a certain quantity” of drones to Russia. However, in his view, this transaction occurred some months before the Russian government attacked Ukraine.
