Russian Missile Experts' Secret Visits to Iran: Unmasking the Hidden Defense Alliance

 

In a dramatic twist of geopolitical tension, several senior Russian missile specialists have covertly visited Iran over the past year, raising critical concerns about the deepening military ties between Moscow and Tehran. A Reuters investigation, based on travel records and employment data, reveals that seven Russian weapons experts traveled from Moscow to Tehran on two separate flights on April 24 and September 17 last year. These visits, which align with heightened military exchanges, suggest an undisclosed level of collaboration in missile technology between the two nations.

The passenger manifests and booking records indicate that six out of the seven Russian specialists possessed passports with the "20" prefix, denoting official state business use — a clear indication that these individuals were acting in their governmental capacities. These passports are exclusively issued to Russian government officials on foreign work assignments and military personnel deployed abroad. Such documented proof contradicts the claims of five out of the seven experts, who, when contacted by Reuters, denied traveling to Iran or being affiliated with the military. The secrecy surrounding their visits only amplifies suspicions of a strategic military partnership.

According to a senior Iranian defense ministry official, these Russian missile experts toured multiple Iranian missile production sites, including two underground facilities. The visits reportedly took place in September, coinciding with Iran's intensifying conflict with Israel — a clash that saw both nations launch military strikes against each other in April and October. Another Western defense official corroborated these claims, stating that Russian specialists visited an Iranian missile base situated approximately 15 kilometers west of the port of Amirabad along Iran's Caspian Sea coast.

The identities of these Russian specialists further underscore the gravity of these clandestine trips. The group included high-ranking military personnel — two colonels and two lieutenant-colonels — with specializations in air-defense missile systems, artillery, rocketry, advanced weapons development, and missile testing. Notably, Andrei Gusev, a lieutenant-colonel, serves as deputy head of the faculty of General Purpose Rockets and Artillery Munitions at the Russian Defense Ministry's Penza Artillery Engineering Institute. Another identified expert, Oleg Fedosov, works for the Directorate of Advanced Inter-Service Research and Special Projects, a division of the Russian defense ministry focused on developing futuristic weaponry.

This growing military alliance between Russia and Iran is far from new. In January, the two nations' leaders signed a 20-year military pact in Moscow, solidifying their defense cooperation. The impact of this collaboration is already evident on the battlefield, with Russia deploying a substantial number of Iranian-designed Shahed drones in its war against Ukraine. The strategic exchange of missile expertise and technology now threatens to extend the consequences of their partnership beyond Eastern Europe, as both countries strengthen their military arsenals.

Despite Reuters' efforts to obtain official responses, Iran's defense and foreign ministries, as well as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, declined to comment. The Russian defense ministry also remained silent. This wall of secrecy only fuels speculations about the extent of their cooperation, especially as Iran continues to face mounting hostilities with Israel. As tensions simmer, the covert visits of Russian missile experts to Iran highlight a troubling alliance that could further destabilize an already volatile region.