Handel głównymi rodzajami uzbrojenia konwencjonalnego pomiędzy ZSRR i Rosją a Iranem – ujęcie ilościowe (na podstawie danych SIPRI)

Abstract

Despite the short period of arms transfers to Iran before 1979, due to the quality and the quantity of arms, the Soviet Union even before the Islamic revolution in Iran grew to the position, in terms of transfers value of the third exporter of arms to Iran after the United States and the United Kingdom, ahead of Italy, France and other western countries. The biggest deals were implemented in the late 70s. of the XX century. The Islamic Revolution led to a break in the transfers of weapons from the Soviet Union, and only in 1986 did the Soviet Union re-join the group of suppliers of weapons to Iran, becoming, second only to China (PRC), the largest exporter of arms to Iran until the collapse of the USSR in 1991. Soviet weapons strengthened the Iranian air force and air defense systems (surface-to-air missiles systems S-200 Angara/SA-5 Gammon). After the collapse of the USSR Iran continued purchasing arms in Russia, which had become the successor to the Soviet Union. Iran continued purchases of aircrafts and short range air-to-air missiles and bought helicopters, including for the purposes of search and rescue, and the version with anti-tank missiles. Iran also continued strengthening their defense missile systems by purchasing surface-to-air missile systems 2K12 Kwadrat/SA-6A, mobile surface-to-air missile systems, Tor-M1/SA-15 with missiles and air search radars 1L119 and air search systems 1L222 Avtobaza. Moreover, Russia has sold Iran three submarines of the Project 877E/Kilo, diesel engines for the modernization of tanks, mobile surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery weapon systems 96K9 Pantsir-S1/SA-22 Greyhound (via Syria). Russia has also granted several licenses, including the production of antitank missiles 9M111/AT-4 Spigot, 9M14M/AT-3 Sagger, 9M113/AT-5 Spandrel, infantry fighting vehicles BMP-2, T-72M1 tanks, towed guns D-30-caliber 122mm. In the years 1992–2012 Russia has climbed to first place in the arms trade with Iran, ahead of China, which is in second place. Arms sales to Iran led to the saturation of the Iranian air defense and aviation with Soviet/Russian aircrafts and air defense systems, strengthening also the army and navy (with Russian submarines).