NBC: Russia supplies Iran with explosives for missiles and drones

Russia supplies Iran with explosives, ammunition, and drone components, helping Tehran replenish weapons stockpiles after U.S. and Israeli strikes. Shipments are routed via the Caspian Sea, NBC News reports, citing a document from a European government and a Western official who confirmed its contents.

According to the channel, among the materials transferred to Iran is trinitrotoluene, better known as TNT, as well as drone components and other munitions. These supplies could be used to restore Iranian production of strike drones and missiles damaged during hostilities with the U.S. and Israel.

The scale of Russian assistance is claimed to be broader than previously thought. Earlier reports mentioned primarily drone components, while new data also points to the transfer of explosives and ammunition. Russia and Iran have not publicly commented on the specific shipments described in the document obtained by NBC.

Shipments routed via the Caspian Sea

A Caspian Sea route is used for transportation, connecting Russian and Iranian ports. This route holds particular importance for the two countries, since access to the Caspian Sea is limited to just five littoral states, and U.S. forces are not present in that sea directly. Analysis of maritime shipments has also shown a marked increase in cargo traffic from Russia to Iran since the start of the current conflict.

The Caspian route was previously actively used in the opposite direction. After the full-scale war against Ukraine began, Iran supplied Russia with drones and related components. Now, according to new data, Moscow is itself helping Tehran replenish its armaments.

Military cooperation between the two countries has noticeably deepened in recent months. In late July, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported strikes on vessels in the Caspian Sea that, according to Kyiv, were used to transport Iran-linked military cargo. Afterwards, Tehran summoned a Ukrainian diplomat and said that what happened would not go unanswered.

Iran rebuilding its military capacity

The U.S. had claimed that during its operation against Iran a significant portion of Iran’s production base, ballistic missiles, and long-range strike drones had been destroyed. Washington is now trying to limit Tehran’s ability to rebuild these programs, including by imposing sanctions on foreign networks procuring components and weaponry.

In April, the U.S. State Department imposed sanctions on networks that, according to American authorities, helped Iranian drone and ballistic missile programs obtain necessary components. In June, Washington announced another package of restrictions against entities and intermediaries involved in weapons procurement for Iran.

The European Union also maintains restrictions targeting Iran’s missile and drone programs. Existing EU sanctions rules specifically prohibit the supply of goods and technologies that could help Iran produce drones or missiles.

The report of Russian shipments comes against the backdrop of continuing confrontation between Washington and Tehran. U.S. President Donald Trump said on August 18 that negotiations with Iran are not underway and that a new round of talks is not scheduled.

Based on materials from: NBC News, U.S. State Department