In a marked escalation of military cooperation between Tehran and Moscow, Iran is poised to deliver one of its most advanced missile systems—the Fath 360 tactical ballistic missile—to Russia. The transfer, confirmed by Western intelligence and corroborated by Reuters on May 9, represents not just a logistical addition to Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine but a symbolic milestone in Iran’s emergence as a critical enabler of Russian warfare capabilities.
This delivery is the latest stage in a growing and increasingly overt partnership between Iran and Russia, one that has shifted from the shadows into clear daylight over the past two years. Despite initial denials, both countries have deepened their defense ties significantly, culminating in what analysts now describe as a quasi-military alliance. For Ukraine and its Western backers, the implications are deeply troubling—not just for the course of the war, but for global security.
At the center of this development is the Fath 360, a relatively new missile system developed by Iran’s Aerospace Industries Organization and unveiled in 2022. It represents a tactical evolution in Iran’s short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) portfolio. Unlike bulkier predecessors such as the Fateh-110, the Fath 360 is designed for speed, agility, and precision.
With a range of up to 120 kilometers and a warhead capable of delivering 150 kilograms of high-explosive payload, the Fath 360 is built for tactical use on dynamic frontlines. Its greatest strength lies in its mobility. Mounted on modular, often civilian-style truck platforms, it can be moved, launched, and repositioned quickly—a “shoot-and-scoot” capability that makes it difficult for radar and satellite systems to track and neutralize.
More importantly, the Fath 360 uses solid-fuel propulsion and satellite-based navigation (GNSS), allowing for rapid deployment and mid-course corrections. These features give it a level of accuracy that exceeds many older Russian-made missiles currently deployed in Ukraine.
“If confirmed operational, this system gives Russia a fresh set of tools to conduct fast and accurate strikes against Ukrainian logistics and frontline targets,” said a European defense official speaking on condition of anonymity. “It also gives Iran credibility as a high-end weapons supplier.”
The scale of Iran’s military contributions to Russia’s war effort is no longer speculative. In recent congressional testimony, U.S. Army General Christopher Cavoli, commander of U.S. Central Command, revealed that Iran had supplied over 400 short-range ballistic missiles to Russia. While the precise models were not identified at the time, defense sources now confirm that at least part of this transfer includes the Fath 360 system.
Until recently, there had been no public sightings or battlefield evidence that Fath 360s were in Russian service. That has changed. Satellite imagery reportedly shows launchers consistent with the Fath 360’s known configuration being staged in southern Russia. Though unconfirmed by official sources, the reports suggest these systems may soon see action in Ukraine’s Donbas or Zaporizhzhia regions—areas where tactical precision could significantly affect battlefield dynamics.
According to analysts at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), this would mark the first time Iran’s high-end tactical missiles have been exported for use in a major interstate conflict—making it a watershed moment for both nations’ military trajectories.
Iran’s motivations extend beyond profit or influence. Tehran views the Ukraine conflict as a proving ground for its defense technologies, a chance to refine its systems through actual combat use—and to demonstrate their value to prospective clients around the world.
Over the past year, Iran has built a robust support system to integrate its weapons into Russia’s military structure. This includes joint training programs, technical exchanges, and even the presence of Iranian advisors within Russian military units. According to leaked intelligence documents, Iranian trainers hosted Russian officers at missile testing sites in central Iran during the latter half of 2023, teaching them how to operate, maintain, and deploy Fath 360 systems.
This was facilitated by a broader military pact signed between the two nations in December 2023. That agreement reportedly covers not only missile technology but also advanced UAVs, cyber warfare capabilities, and surveillance systems.
“Tehran is not just handing over hardware—it’s embedding itself into the Russian military-industrial complex,” said Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “This cooperation signals Iran’s ambition to become a military player of global relevance.”
For Ukraine, the introduction of Fath 360s into the theater could mark a turning point in how the war is fought. Ukraine’s defenses are already stretched thin by constant missile and drone strikes targeting energy infrastructure, command centers, and supply lines. The mobility and precision of the Fath 360 would add a new layer of difficulty to Ukraine’s already challenging air-defense strategy.
The weapons’ modular design allows for fast reloading and launching in high-pressure combat environments. In contested zones like Bakhmut or Avdiivka, this flexibility could allow Russian forces to suppress Ukrainian artillery, damage fortified positions, and disrupt rear-echelon logistics—all with a lower risk of exposure than using larger, slower systems like the Iskander-M.
Moreover, by using Iranian-supplied missiles, Moscow can conserve its increasingly limited domestic missile stockpile. Western sanctions have significantly hampered Russia’s ability to produce advanced guidance and propulsion systems at scale. Iranian imports help fill that gap.
NATO officials have warned that this growing reliance on Iranian weapons could escalate the war further. “There’s a clear red line,” a NATO military official said. “The transfer of offensive missile systems like the Fath 360 pushes the boundaries of what’s acceptable without inviting direct countermeasures.”
Iran’s growing missile export capacity has not gone unnoticed in the Middle East. Both Israel and Gulf Arab states view the export of weapons like the Fath 360 as a destabilizing development. These are the same systems, or derivatives thereof, that Iran could theoretically deploy against them in a future conflict.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, already wary of Iranian influence in Yemen and Iraq, have interpreted the Russia-Iran alliance as a direct threat. Israel, meanwhile, sees the transfer of advanced missile systems as evidence that Iran is actively testing and refining technologies that could be turned against Israeli targets.
“Iran is operationalizing its weapons abroad while enhancing their reliability and precision,” said a senior Israeli defense official. “What we’re seeing in Ukraine may be a rehearsal for other theaters.”
This concern is echoed in Washington, where lawmakers have expressed alarm over the blurring lines between Iranian and Russian military industries. There is growing bipartisan support for expanding sanctions against entities involved in the transfer of these missile systems.
On the diplomatic front, the deepening Iran-Russia axis threatens to collapse already fragile efforts to revive the Iran nuclear deal. U.S. and European negotiators fear that Iran’s increasing integration with Russia’s military strategy could signal a broader rejection of international norms.
“It’s hard to imagine meaningful nuclear negotiations when Iran is actively supplying weapons for a war condemned by the UN,” said one European diplomat involved in the talks. “They’ve chosen a side, and it’s not the side of peace.”
Tehran, however, appears undeterred. Officials have publicly lauded their partnership with Russia as a counterweight to Western dominance. In a recent statement, Iranian Defense Minister Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani said that cooperation with Russia was “based on mutual respect and strategic necessity.”
The delivery of Fath 360 systems marks a pivotal moment—not just for the battlefield in Ukraine, but for the global military balance. As these weapons edge closer to deployment, they bring with them the possibility of more precise, mobile, and difficult-to-defend attacks on Ukrainian positions.
But the implications stretch further. Iran is establishing itself as a key actor in the world’s most dangerous war, embedding its influence into the machinery of one of the world’s major powers. In doing so, it’s sending a clear message: the age of Iran as a passive regional power is over.
