The Financial Times reported the information, citing representatives of Western countries.
According to the outlet, Iran, which supplies the Russian army with hundreds of drones, is ready for further military cooperation, including the supply of ballistic missiles. In particular, the outlet notes that Moscow and Tehran have already considered the possibility of exchanging modern Russian weapons for Iranian ballistic missiles, but the negotiations have reached a deadlock due to the potential consequences of such a deal for both sides.
However, Western officials believe that Russia may change its position on Iranian missiles, as the shortage of its own precision-guided munitions is becoming increasingly acute.
Moscow may purchase Iranian missiles, such as Fateh-113 and Zolfaghar, with ranges of 500 and 700 km, respectively.
At the same time, military experts point out that Western countries do not have effective leverage over Iran to prevent such a deal, as the country is already under Western sanctions.
"Iran is one of the few countries willing to sell to Russia," said a representative of the US Department of Defense.
However, Iran continues to categorically deny that it has supplied any weapons to Russia.
Iran supplies Russia with unmanned aerial vehicles, but the Ukrainian defense forces have already learned how to counter them. In addition, Russia is currently experiencing a shortage of Shahed drones. During Russia’s last strike on the night of March 5 to 6, 15 launches of strike UAVs were recorded. Thirteen Shahed drones were destroyed by the air defense forces of the Ukrainian Air Force.