The British Ministry of Defence’s intelligence reported on 13 September that Iran has recently supplied Russia with Fath-360 short-range ballistic missiles.
According to UK intelligence, this new capability is expected to enhance Russia’s precision strike capabilities against Ukrainian targets.
Russia and Iran have strengthened their strategic partnership in recent years, cooperating on military, economic, and diplomatic fronts to counter Western influence. The British Defense Ministry reported that the supply of ballistic missiles represents a further deepening of Iran’s and Russia’s military relationship.
According to the report, the Fath-360 missile “can deliver a 150kg warhead to a range of 120 km with a claimed accuracy of fewer than 30 meters.” The system is highly mobile and can be “deployed on a variety of road-mobile launchers, including one capable of launching up to six missiles.”
British intelligence assesses that “the supply of Iranian ballistic missiles will supplement and enhance Russia’s ability to conduct precision strikes against Ukrainian military or civilian infrastructure targets close to front lines.”
The intelligence reported that Iranian military aid to Russia’s campaign in Ukraine has been extensive, including “the supply of hundreds of one-way attack (OWA) uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), artillery munitions and extensive support to Russian OWA UAV domestic production.”
British intelligence also suggests that the acquisition of these missiles will allow Russia to conserve its longer-range strike capabilities for targets deeper inside Ukraine, as the report notes it will enable “Russia to preserve more of its longer-range capabilities for use against targets deeper inside Ukraine.”
In response to these developments, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, has reportedly proposed new sanctions against Iran for supplying ballistic missiles to Russia.
The United Kingdom has already announced its sanctions package, and the US Treasury Department has imposed new sanctions on Iran.
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