Russia denies supplying Iran with military shipments
Russia has denied Western allegations that it is shipping drone components, ammunition, and the explosive material TNT to Iran via the Caspian Sea, in a move aimed at helping Tehran replace part of its arsenal damaged during the US and Israeli attacks on the country.
The US network reported in an exclusive story that a European government document, obtained and verified by a Western official, indicates that Russian shipments also include materials that can be used to produce warheads for ballistic missiles, based on an analysis of satellite imagery.
According to the report, more than 20 Russian ships crossed the Caspian Sea to transport the shipments to the Iranian port of Amirkhah, while many of these vessels are subject to US and European sanctions. Some of the ships are operated by MG Float, which has been sanctioned by the United States since 2024.
The maritime route holds strategic importance for Moscow and Tehran, as the Caspian Sea is landlocked and bordered by five countries: Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. Furthermore, there are no permanent Western naval forces in the region, making the interception of shipments more difficult.
The report noted that some ships use methods to reduce the likelihood of their movements being tracked, including turning off Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders during transit.
This flow of shipments reflects a notable shift in the nature of military cooperation between Moscow and Tehran. After Iran supplied Russia with large numbers of drones, particularly the Shahed models used in the war in Ukraine, Moscow has begun providing support to Tehran to rebuild part of its offensive capabilities.
Former US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) analyst Jim Lamson stated that Iran’s reliance on foreign suppliers for these materials indicates that US and Israeli strikes have damaged its domestic capacity to produce weapons and the necessary materials.
Israel targeted the Bandar Anzali port complex in March 2026 in an attempt to disrupt this route, but shipment operations resumed later, according to the report.
