Iran has requested advanced air defence systems from Russia in anticipation of a potential conflict with Israel, as reported by The New York Times.
The request, confirmed by two Iranian officials familiar with the situation, marks a further deepening of military cooperation between Tehran and Moscow. The officials, including a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the information.
The delivery of these air defence systems, which includes modern radar equipment, has reportedly already commenced. The New York Times highlighted that on 5 August, former Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu visited Tehran, where he held discussions with Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, and Brigadier General Mohammad Bagheri, who oversees military strike planning against Israel. The talks also included Iran’s Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.
This visit highlights the close alliance between Iran and Russia, a partnership that has strengthened significantly since the onset of the Ukraine war in 2022. Iran has supplied Russia with military drones, and the two countries recently concluded an agreement to expand their military and intelligence cooperation.
Iranian state television broadcasted footage of Shoigu’s meetings with General Bagheri and other high-ranking officials. The visual coverage displayed the warm greetings between the officials, followed by a round-table discussion that included members of both the Russian delegation and Iranian military leaders. Shoigu expressed Russia’s readiness for comprehensive regional cooperation with Iran, as reported by Iranian state media.
General Bagheri emphasised the “deep, long-term, and strategic” nature of Iran-Russia relations, suggesting that these ties are set to deepen under Iran’s new government.
While Russia maintains significant economic and cultural ties with Israel, partly due to the sizeable population of Russian Jews in the country, analysts point out that Moscow is unlikely to refuse Tehran’s requests for assistance. This is particularly true given Russia’s reliance on Iranian drones in the war in Ukraine. Colin P. Clarke, a representative from the intelligence and security consultancy Soufan Group, noted that Iran is leveraging its position to obtain Russian air defence capabilities. The challenge for Russia, Clarke added, is to accommodate Iran’s demands without jeopardising its relations with Israel.
The situation escalated following the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in a bomb explosion at his guest house in Iran, coinciding with the inauguration day of Iran’s new president. In response, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly ordered a direct attack on Israel, escalating the already tense situation in the region.
