Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL)

Force in Play

Iranian counterparty to the Verba MANPADS deal

In June 2025, Israeli and American strikes destroyed roughly a third of Iran's air defense network in twelve days. Since then, leaked Russian documents and follow‑on reporting have shown Tehran spending billions to replace what it lost—and then some, including a secret €500 million agreement for 500 Verba shoulder‑fired launchers and 2,500 missiles, plus long‑range S‑400 batteries and up to 48 Su‑35 fighter jets whose first 16 airframes are now reported to be in production for Iran. Analysts say this mix of high‑end systems and widely dispersed man‑portable air‑defense systems is designed to make any future U.S. or Israeli air campaign far more complex and costly.

Updated Mar 7