Dozens of Russian military personnel are undergoing training in Iran on the Fath-360 close-range ballistic missile system, with expectations for the imminent delivery of these missiles to Russia for its conflict in Ukraine, according to two European intelligence sources.
A contract for the Fath-360 and Iran's Ababil missile system was reportedly signed on December 13 between Russian and Iranian officials.
The Fath-360 has a maximum range of 120 km (75 miles) and carries a 150 kg warhead. The addition of Fath-360s could enable Russia to use more of its existing missiles for distant targets while deploying Iranian missiles for closer-range strikes.
The U.S. National Security Council has warned that any transfer of these weapons would result in “a swift and severe response” from the U.S., its NATO allies, and G7 partners. The White House has repeatedly criticized the growing security partnership between Russia and Iran.
Iran’s U.N. mission stated that while it maintains a strategic partnership with Russia, it refrains from transferring weapons that could be used in the Ukraine conflict. The White House has not confirmed the training or weapon delivery, and intelligence sources did not provide a specific timeframe for the missile delivery or details on the Ababil contract.
An Iranian official denied that Fath-360 missiles have been sold to Russia but acknowledged military cooperation between the two nations. The official emphasized that Iran's military support has primarily consisted of drones rather than ballistic missiles.
The U.N. Security Council's restrictions on Iran's missile exports expired in October 2023, though the U.S. and EU have maintained sanctions related to Iran’s ballistic missile program. Previous reports indicated interest in Iranian missiles, but no confirmed transfers have been reported. Ukrainian authorities have not found evidence of Iranian missile remnants.
