Iranian Cargo Vessel With Ties to Russia’s Arms Supply Network Sinks in Caspian Sea

An Iranian-flagged cargo vessel, Rona, which Western investigations have previously linked to maritime routes used for Iranian weapons deliveries to Russia, sent a distress signal while sinking in the Caspian Sea, but the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported on January 14 that all 14 crew members were rescued by Turkmenistan’s coast guard.

According to the ministry, Turkmen emergency and maritime services responded to the SOS call in line with international maritime regulations. “Due to timely response, all 14 people on the ship were rescued,” the statement said, adding that the crew are citizens of Iran and India.

The Turkmen Foreign Ministry did not comment on the vessel’s cargo. However, a 2023 investigation by The Wall Street Journal found that the Rona regularly sailed routes linking Iranian ports with Russia’s Astrakhan, Makhachkala, and Azov—corridors that overlap with known maritime supply lines used for Iranian arms shipments to Russia.

Previously, it was reported that Iran had provided Russia with missiles worth close to $3 billion to support Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine, as reported by Bloomberg, citing the assessment by a Western security official.

According to the outlet, the official said that contracts signed with Moscow beginning in October 2021, before the full-scale invasion, covered ballistic missiles and surface-to-air missile systems valued at around $2.7 billion.

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