Russia is shipping components for drones, missiles and explosives to Iran to help replenish its weapons stockpiles after US and Israeli strikes, according to a report by NBC News. More than two dozen Russian ships, many of which are under US and European sanctions, have reportedly crossed the Caspian Sea to deliver military supplies to Iran’s port of Amirabad, NBC News reported, citing documents and a Western official.

The shipments point to deepening military ties between Moscow and Tehran, while also suggesting that US and Israeli strikes have damaged Iran’s ability to produce some weapons domestically, according to Jim Lamson, a former CIA analyst.

“Iran’s procurement of drone components and small arms ammunition from Russia strongly suggests that Israeli and US military strikes on Iran’s facilities that produce these items have degraded Iran’s domestic capability to produce them,” Lamson told NBC News.

The Russian ships allegedly involved in transporting the military cargo are owned by MG-FLOT, a maritime company that was sanctioned by Western governments in 2024.

Russia has previously been accused of supporting Iran’s war effort and supplying upgraded drones to Tehran. Moscow has also significantly developed Iran’s Shahed attack drones, which have been used extensively in the war in Ukraine.

The latest reported shipments come as Iran faces pressure to replenish weapons supplies following attacks on its missile and drone production facilities.

It remains unclear how much military equipment Russia has supplied to Iran. The Kremlin has repeatedly dismissed such allegations as “fake news”.

The reports have raised concerns that Moscow is playing a more active role in supporting Iran’s war effort, after Tehran provided military assistance to Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

US President Donald Trump has previously played down the extent of Russian assistance to Iran. Last month, he said Russian President Vladimir Putin had assured him that Moscow was not selling weapons to Tehran.

Trump also said any Russian assistance “has been very unimpactful”, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused the Kremlin of sharing satellite imagery of US military bases with Iran.