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Russia Fuels Iran’s War Machine With Massive €495M “Verba” Air Defense Deal
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Iran has signed a secret agreement with Russia worth approximately €495 million to acquire hundreds of Verba man-portable air defense systems, according to Financial Times on February 22.
The contract, signed in Moscow in December, provides for the delivery of 500 portable launchers of the 9K333 “Verba” system and 2,500 9M336 missiles over a three-year period from 2027 to 2029, Financial Times reported, citing leaked Russian documents and officials familiar with the deal.
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The agreement forms part of Tehran’s efforts to restore air defense capabilities damaged during last year’s 12-day war with Israel. The outlet reported that deliveries are scheduled in three tranches between 2027 and 2029, although one source indicated that a limited number of systems may already have been transferred.
The contract was concluded between Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport and the Moscow-based representative office of Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL).
Financial Times is reporting #Russia has transferred 500 Verba MANPADS to #Iran from warehouses in Mineralyne Vodi in the North Caucasus on IL76s along w/2,500 “9M336” missiles in a timely $590 million deal. https://t.co/LA1m6E96bv pic.twitter.com/MRGhbcrqXw
— Glen Howard (@GlenHoward_GH) February 22, 2026
Financial Times reported that the deal was arranged by Ruhollah Katebi, MODAFL’s representative in Moscow.
The newspaper noted that the US sanctioned Katebi in 2024, describing him as a “contact point of the Russian government” with Iran’s defense ministry after he facilitated the transfer of Iranian Fath-360 short-range ballistic missiles to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine.
The Iranian ambassador in Moscow, Kazem Jalali, indirectly confirmed increased military shipments this week, according to Financial Times. Flight-tracking data reviewed by the outlet showed that a Russian Il-76TD cargo aircraft conducted at least three flights from Mineralnye Vody to Karaj in Iran within eight days, with another flight recorded in late December.
According to Financial Times, Rosoboronexport is selling 9M336 missiles to Iran at €170,000 per unit, while launchers are priced at €40,000 each. The agreement also includes 500 Mowgli-2 night-vision devices intended to support targeting in low-light conditions.
The 9K333 Verba system, introduced into Russian service in 2014, is designed to engage low-flying aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, and drones.
It uses a three-channel infrared seeker operating across ultraviolet and infrared spectrums, which developers say improves resistance to thermal countermeasures. The system has a reported engagement range of approximately 6–6.5 kilometers and can target aircraft at altitudes up to 4–4.5 kilometers, with missile speeds estimated at 500–600 meters per second.
Earlier, Russia’s Baltic Fleet corvette Stoikiy held a PASSEX drill with Iranian Navy vessels in the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz, focusing on maneuvering and communications, according to Army Recognition citing TASS.
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