Iran wants advanced Geran drones from Russia: report
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Iran has asked Russia for advanced Geran drones to bolster its forces in the conflict with ‘Israel’ and the United States, according to Western security officials and a person close to the Kremlin cited by the Financial Times.
Russia’s drone capabilities have advanced significantly through wartime experience in Ukraine, prompting Tehran to seek the improved systems this year.
The Geran series consists of Russian-produced versions of Iran’s own Shahed-136 design, which Moscow received from Tehran early in its war against Ukraine and then refined with better engines, navigation systems, and anti-jamming features.
Senior Iranian and Russian officials began secretly discussing drone deliveries days after ‘Israel’ and the US conducted strikes on Iran in late February 2026, two officials briefed on Western intelligence told the FT.
Processing of the shipments, which also included medicine and food, began in early March and was expected to finish by the end of that month.
Western sources indicated Moscow was in a position to supply models such as the Geran-2.
“The Russians dramatically improved the Shaheds, including modifications to the engines, navigation and anti-jamming capabilities. So these systems are already more advanced than the ones Iran was producing domestically,” said Nicole Grajewski, a professor at Sciences Po who researches the Russia-Iran relationship.
Antonio Giustozzi, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, noted that Tehran was not seeking sheer volume.
“They don’t need more drones. They need better drones. They are after the more advanced capabilities,” he said, adding that he had independently heard from sources in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps about the talks.
A senior Western official said Moscow was “stepping in to shore up not only the Iranians’ fighting capabilities but also to underwrite the broader political stability of Tehran’s regime.”
Iran has also sought advanced air-defense systems; the two sides agreed in December 2025 on the delivery of 500 Verba man-portable units and 2,500 missiles, though Russia rejected requests for the more sophisticated S-400.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the reports as “false news stories” or “a lot of fakes,” while acknowledging ongoing dialogue with Iranian leaders.
