Unveiling the Missile Diplomacy: Russian Specialists' Covert Visits to Iran

Russian missile experts have secretly visited Iran multiple times for defense cooperation, according to travel records reviewed by Reuters. The visits involved high-ranking specialists and coincided with heightened military tensions between Iran and Israel. Cooperation echoes the 20-year military pact signed by both nations, impacting conflicts like Russia's war on Ukraine.

In a revelation highlighting the deepening defense ties between Russia and Iran, a Reuters examination of travel records unveils that senior Russian missile specialists have made several trips to Iran in the past year. These clandestine visits align with a 20-year military pact signed between the two nations in January.

The travel data indicates the presence of seven weapons experts, booked to fly from Moscow to Tehran on two occasions—April 24 and September 17 last year. While the purpose of the visits remains undisclosed, Iranian officials confirm multiple inspections of their missile production sites.

This cooperation seems to echo on battlefields like Ukraine, where Iranian-designed drones have been deployed by Russia. These developments occur amidst escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, marked by military confrontations in recent months.

(With inputs from agencies.)