Russian Missile Experts Visit Iran Amid Growing Defense Cooperation

Several senior Russian missile specialists have visited Iran over the past year, deepening the defense ties between Moscow and Tehran, according to a Reuters review of travel records and employment data. Seven experts were identified traveling from Moscow to Tehran on April 24 and September 17, 2024, aboard two group flights.

The booking records reveal that the men were traveling with passports designated for official state business, a sign of their roles in the Russian government or military. The experts, whose expertise spans air-defense missile systems, artillery, and advanced weaponry, reportedly visited Iranian missile production sites, including some underground facilities.

A senior Iranian defense ministry official confirmed that Russian missile specialists made several visits to Iranian missile bases, including one close to Amirabad, located near the Caspian Sea. These visits occurred against the backdrop of rising tensions in the Middle East, with Iran and Israel engaged in escalating military strikes.

Despite efforts to reach the specialists for comment, five of them denied any involvement with Iran, and the Russian defense ministry did not respond to requests for information. However, the nature of these visits underscores the growing military cooperation between Russia and Iran, particularly in light of their 20-year military pact signed earlier this year.

Iran's reliance on Russian-designed drones in the ongoing war in Ukraine further highlights the importance of this partnership, which is likely to influence the trajectory of regional security dynamics in the years ahead.