February 3, 2016 | Policy Brief

Nuclear Deal Paves Way for Iran-Russia Ballistic Missile Cooperation

February 3, 2016 | Policy Brief

Nuclear Deal Paves Way for Iran-Russia Ballistic Missile Cooperation

Since the start of talks over Iran’s nuclear program over two years ago, Russia and Iran have moved towards deepening economic and strategic ties in anticipation of Tehran’s reintegration into the global economy. One of the areas in which that cooperation may be most pronounced is also one of the most dangerous to international security: Iran’s ballistic missile program.

Last year, Moscow and Tehran signed deals on expanding Iran’s space infrastructure. Tehran, however, appears to be interested in using this technology for ballistic missiles, which it continues to test in breach of a UN Security Council embargo. Satellite-launch technology, after all, is not drastically different from that used for firing ballistic missiles. In the past, the Soviet Union, France, and China have all utilized their space programs to improve ballistic missile capabilities. 

Russia-Iran ballistic missile cooperation began as early as 1992, according to U.S. intelligence officials. Iran’s first satellite – in 2005 – was both Russian-made and launched from a Russian spaceport. Following that launch, the George W. Bush administration came to fear that Iran was seeking to use Russian satellite-launch technology to upgrade the Shahab line of missile systems, and pressed the Kremlin to end its collaboration with Tehran. (The Shahab-3 and 4 missile systems – and the cutting-edge Shahab-5 – are developed with Russian assistance and components, according to military and intelligence assessments.)  

The Iranians have admitted that their space program is a defense priority. As President Hassan Rouhani said last year, space technology serves both “strategic” and “threat-prevention” objectives.

The UN has also weighed in – a 2012 Security Council panel of experts concluded that Iran’s ballistic missile and space launch programs shared a “great deal” of materials and technology. It should therefore be no surprise that Russian diplomats sought last month to quash calls for new ballistic-missile sanctions against the Islamic Republic. 

In the wake of the nuclear deal and Tehran’s announcement that it has accessed $100 billion in frozen assets, Moscow and Tehran have much to gain. For the Iranians, however, one of the greatest post-deal benefits could be the advancement of their ballistic-missile program – with Vladimir Putin’s help.  

Boris Zilberman is deputy director of congressional relations at Foundation for Defense of Democracies, where he is also a Russia analyst. Find him on Twitter: @rolltidebmz 

Issues:

Iran Russia