Russia and Iran has signed a contract for the supply of Verba portable air defense systems worth about € 495-500 million. This is reported by the Financial Times with reference to leaked Russian documents and sources.
The deal took place in Moscow last December. According to the contract, Iran should receive 500 Verba launchers and 2,500 9M336 missiles within three years. One rocket costs about 170 thousand euros, and the launcher costs 40 thousand euros. The deal also provides for the supply of 500 Mowgli-2 night sights.
It is noted that some deliveries could start earlier than the official schedule.
It is noted that Verba is one of the newest Russian portable air defense systems. It can hit cruise missiles, UAVs and low-flying aircraft using infrared guidance. The system can be used by small mobile units without stationary radars.
According to the FT, Tehran requested Verba after a 12-day war with Israel in 2025, during which the Iranian air defense system was seriously damaged.
According to experts, the Verba complexes will not radically change the overall military balance, but they will complicate operations using helicopters and low-flying aircraft. This could increase the risks for potential US or Israeli operations against Iran, the newspaper writes "Время.иа ".