A woman walks past a banner depicting launching missiles bearing the emblem of the Islamic Republic of Iran in central Tehran on April 15, 2024. ATTA KENARE / AFP via Getty Images
Moscow’s Iranian-missile deal draws Western sanctions
Arrangement reveals depth of the countries’ relationship—and of the “supply challenges that Russia is facing,” one official said.
The United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany will impose sanctions on key Russian and Iranian entities, including Iran Air, after Russia sent “dozens” of troops to Iran to train on Fath-360 ballistic missiles, according to the White House.
“The concerning aspect of this, again, is the developing relationship between Russia and Iran,” Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said today during a briefing.
Iran has already sent some of the missiles to Russia, officials said without providing a number. But the missiles, which have a range of about 75 miles, will likely be used to allow Russia “to use more of its arsenal for targets beyond the front line, while employing Iranian warheads for closer range targets,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters Tuesday.
“Russia will have available to it additional ballistic missiles to rain down on the Ukrainian people and Ukrainian infrastructure, and that's exactly how [Russian President Vladimir Putin] is going to use these things. I mean, I'm not saying he's not going to target military units. He might do that, but what he has been known for doing in the past is using ballistic missiles because they're incredibly fast to hit civilian targets with obviously little or no notice,” Kirby said.
Russia has been increasing its attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure in recent weeks, in an attempt to make living conditions worse for Ukranians as winter nears.
Iran and Russia signed a contract for the supply of hundreds of missiles in late 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement. “In the summer of 2024, Russian military personnel were trained on the use of Iran’s Project 360 [close-range ballistic missiles or CBRMs] by Iranian personnel, and as of early September 2024, Russia received the first shipment of these CBRMs from Iran.”
Officials wouldn’t speak specifically about what Iran is getting in exchange for the transfers, but Ryder said “we see them sharing information as it relates to nuclear programs, space, and other technological capabilities that Russia has that countries like Iran wants.”
Still, the transfers—and similar technology and missile exchanges between Russia and North Korea—show that Russia has gaps in its arsenal.
“It’s also, again, indicative of the supply challenges that Russia is facing as it prosecutes this campaign, not only from, you know, munitions, but also from personnel. And so, you know, it’s something that we’re going to continue to keep a close eye on,” Ryder said.