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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRussia and China are going to militarily support Iran, significantly
Under a 500 million deal, Moscow commited to supplying Tehran with 500 Verba man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) launchers and 2,500 9M336 missiles between 2027 and 2029. The agreement was signed in Moscow in December 2025 between Russias state arms exporter and Irans Ministry of Defense.
Iran has Russian-supplied S-300 systems, which are its most advanced air defence capability.
Earlier in February, a Russian naval corvette conducted maneuvers with the Iranian navy in the Gulf of Oman, according to Russia's Defense Ministry.
Iran reportedly received up to six Russian Mi-28 attack helicopters in January.
In late 2025, a report by Ukraine's United24 Media also claimed Iran was set to acquire 16 new Russian Su-35 fighter jets.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-25/iran-missile-defence-deal-russia-verba-manpad-weapons/106380088

27 February 2026
China has sent attack drones to Iran, as it discusses ballistic missile sales
China is stepping up support for Iran as US strikes loom, and warning the US's Arab partners
China is delivering offensive weapons as well as additional defensive arms to Iran, with the US on the cusp of launching an attack on the Islamic Republic, three officials familiar with the matter told Middle East Eye.
One Arab official familiar with the deliveries described the offensive weapons as small systems. Another regional intelligence official said Beijing had sent loitering munitions, or Kamikaze drones, to the Islamic Republic.
MEE revealed exclusively in July that China had supplied surface-to-air missile batteries to Iran following the 12-day war that culminated in the US striking three Iranian nuclear facilities.
Reuters reported this week that China is in discussions with Iran to provide CM‑302 anti‑ship cruise missiles. The CM-302 is both ship and ground-launched with a range of about 290 kilometres. The weapon could target US vessels in the Arabian Sea or closer to Irans shoreline in the Gulf of Oman and Persian Gulf.
The regional intelligence source told MEE that the two states are also in discussions over Iran purchasing Chinas DF-17 hypersonic glide missile. Although Irans ballistic missiles have similar ranges, the DF-17 has better manoeuvrability, which can help it evade air defence systems.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/china-has-sent-attack-drones-iran-it-discusses-ballistic-missile-sales
...Iran paid China and Russia with oil shipments, so that will be a strong incentive for the two countries to supply them against the U.S. military attacks.
This is a classic proxy war which resembles the Vietnam folly which took the lives of over 58 thousand American troops, as well as between 1.5 and 3 million Vietnamese, including both civilians and military personnel (in response to Trump's assertion that he's liberating Iranians).
House of Roberts
(6,465 posts)Moscow committed to supplying Tehran with 500 Verba man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) launchers and 2,500 9M336 missiles between 2027 and 2029.
They're going to be a little late, I think.
bigtree
(93,891 posts)...and you can be certain Moscow is readying those weapons for shipment today.
"MEE revealed exclusively in July that China had supplied surface-to-air missile batteries to Iran following the 12-day war that culminated in the US striking three Iranian nuclear facilities."
The deliveries of Chinese surface-to-air missile batteries occurred after a de-facto truce was struck between Iran and Israel on 24 June, an Arab official familiar with the intelligence told MEE.
Another Arab official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive intelligence, said that the US's Arab allies were aware of Tehran's efforts to "back up and reinforce" its air defences and that the White House had been informed of Iran's progress.
The officials did not say how many surface-to-air missiles, or SAMs, Iran had received from China since the end of the fighting. However, one of the Arab officials said that Iran was paying for the SAMs with oil shipments.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/china-has-sent-attack-drones-iran-it-discusses-ballistic-missile-sales
February 13, 2025
CNN - Iran is rearming its missile program and a ship of supplies just arrived from China, Western sources say
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/13/middleeast/iran-is-rearming-its-missile-program-and-a-ship-of-supplies-just-arrived-from-china-western-sources-say
EX500rider
(12,334 posts)And Russian & Chinese air defense weapons have proved near useless both in Venz. and during the recent attacks on Iran
bigtree
(93,891 posts)...which has been the concern of successive American presidents, both republican and Democratic.
And entirely capable of striking back hard against Israel with the weaponry and tech they're already gotten from the two.
I guess some are supposing Trump will be as focused as NATO was, but I'd guess he'll be distracted enough to lett all of that slide.
Wouldn't be surprised at all to find that his government secretly allowed the earlier shipments to go forward, seeing how Orwellian this all is, with the bombing of the ayatollah's neighborhood after he was obviously warned away by the U.S., and only U.S. troops and Iranians at risk while our king, and Iran's spiritual leader look on.
BannonsLiver
(20,419 posts)bigtree
(93,891 posts)Last edited Sat Feb 28, 2026, 11:10 AM - Edit history (1)
your original heading:
"I'd stick to glazing Merrick Garland."
Who else are we all looking at who's obsessed with attacking public servants in the Biden DOJ who were engaged in investigating and prosecuting Trump?
Who is advantaging that inanity in response to the attacks on Iran today? Who does that?
And what the fuck does anyone who disagrees care what I think about Garland?
There should be more than enough derision of the former AG here at DU to outweigh anything I believe or have related or expressed, and to satiate opposition enough to restrain from whatever this is.
Is this supposed to intimidate me from expressing my opinion in opposition to the U.S. being led around by the nose by Israel to the degree that American lives are at risk in defense of their militarism and Trump's need to distract from his Epstein lies?
If this militarism is such a good idea, supporters shouldn't need to resort to personal attacks to defend it.
bigtree
(93,891 posts)...I post on myriad subjects which comprise what got me writing in the first place.
Issues that lead me to get a computer and put away the lined, yellow legal pads which I'd used for years to write out my opinions and essays, and OFTEN getting published by WaPo in my early days which would likely rankle more experienced writers.
My main issues of concern are civil rights and anti-war - any war. I find justifications against war in every military engagement or attack; even advocating against the 'just wars' that President Obama spoke about in his Nobel acceptance speech.
I take the time to read and understand all of the issues behind what I write about. That doesn't mean that I don't make mistakes, or express opinions that some may disagree with, and I think that's just a natural part of political and social event debate and discussion.
What I don't understand is this childish labeling (of a senior citizen) like we're in a high school cafeteria, instead of actually engaging in discussion on the points I raise in my posts, of Garland or any of the myriad other subjects I take the time to understand and relate here.
It seems like gamesmanship, and I think that's a terrible waste of effort for anyone actually interested in getting their own viewpoint across.
It looks like more of an effort to marginalize people who disagree with something or the other supported from the forum or discussion, and that's just an anathema to support or solutions.
We're just a microcosm of the country in this forum, and you can't actually control the mass of opinion out there by playing off of people you happen to relate with on social media. I realize it can appear to be a good and productive fight.
But support comes from presenting ideas in response, or maybe opposition to what others think, believe, or express in this public forum. There's a real lost opportunity, imo, that results from stifling views (other then republican politics) which can be advantaged to draw contrast to one's contrary own.
Now, I'm increasingly less interested in expressing how I feel these days. I can see the value decreases in relation to whoever might care. But I've never thought I had some monopoly on discussion or views here, so much that I was dominating anything to the degree that anyone should feel their own is threatened to be obscured by my own.
I even made an effort to refrain from piling onto Israel with my opposing views to their actions in Gaza; for one simple reason: I'm not here to oppose DUers. I come here to express my opinion and help inform folks of things I imagine they might not have seen yet.
And I occasionally try to spread a little hominess and joy.
Maybe some perspective is in order here; hopefully, it can lead to understanding how name-calling and labeling according to your own personal views isn't actually the best way to get your own message (ostensibly in support of Israel here) across.