Iran receives advanced S‑400 systems from Russia amid shortages
Although Russia is facing a shortage of air defence systems for its own use, it has decided to support Iran. According to media reports, Moscow has sent valuable S-400 systems to Tehran along with Russian soldiers to operate the equipment.
The Ukrainian portal Defense Express reminds us that Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu visited Iran on Monday, August 5th. He met with President Masud Pezeszkian, among others. During the meeting, the main topic of discussion was the "expansion of bilateral partnership for global security and peace." The Russians also called Iran "one of the key and strategic allies in the region."
Iran asked Russia for help
The alliance between Tehran and Moscow has strengthened since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in 2022, evidenced by, among other things, deliveries of Iranian drones to Russia, as well as the "recently finalized agreement on expanding military and intelligence cooperation." The cooperation continues, and Iran has turned to the Russian Federation with a request for modern air defence systems, to prepare for war with Israel. Sources among Iranian authorities – as reported by Defense Express – believe that the Russians positively responded to this request, and so weapon deliveries have started.
According to analysts, Tehran might need the equipment primarily for defence against attacks on nuclear facilities announced by Israel. However, Defense Express highlights that Iran already has a substantial air defence arsenal, including four divisions of S-300PMU2 systems, three divisions of S-200 systems, and an unknown number of Iranian Bavar-373 systems, which are said to be similar to the S-300.
They want S-400 systems from Russia
As we read, Iran has asked the Russian Federation for S-400 systems capable of shooting down ballistic missiles. Analysts at Defense Express seek confirmation of this in events from March 2023, when media reported on Tehran's active search for S-400 systems in the Russian Federation. However, no official statements emerged indicating the two countries had signed an agreement on transferring the mentioned weapons, possibly because, as early as last year, Russians were already facing a shortage of S-400 systems.
Defense Express points out that in addition to the potential transfer of S-400 air defence systems from the Russian Federation to Iran, Russian soldiers must also be sent to Tehran to operate the weapons. This would not be surprising, as Israeli media suggest that the Russian Federation might have already provided Iran with Iskander and Murmansk-BN air defence systems and the necessary personnel.
Defense Express discusses the potential transfer from Russia to Iran of the S-400 system. This valuable piece of equipment can intercept any air threat: aircraft, helicopters, drones, and ballistic missiles. This weapon's range can be 40 kilometres when using 350-kilogram 9M96 missiles or even 400 kilometres when equipped with 1,800-kilogram 40N6E missiles. An intermediate solution used for firing in the case of the S-400 is 48N6DM/486E3 ammunition, which reaches a distance of about 250 kilometres.
