Russia Trains Iranian Defense Specialists
Talent incubator: how Russia helps Iran prepare specialists in dual-use technologies. For decades, Russia has not only sold Iran military equipment and weapons but also transferred defense technologies, primarily for Iran's missile program.
Consensus
- Russia has provided education and supported the scientific careers of Iranian specialists in defense-related fields for almost four decades.
- The cooperation between Russia and Iran includes training in dual-use technologies such as rocket engines, satellite navigation, GPS spoofing, uranium enrichment centrifuges, and AI for drones.
- Russian universities have served as a source of trained personnel for Iran's defense industry.
- Iranian students and graduates from Russian universities have returned to Iran to work in defense-related institutions, including those under Iran's Ministry of Defense and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
- The collaboration has been analyzed through open scientific publications by the outlet 'Sistema'.
Points of divergence
- In 2025, about 10,000 Iranian citizens were studying in Russian universities, a 42% increase from two years earlier. — tg_moscowtimes_ru
- In 2018, Iranian students from MAI participated in practice at 'Vympel', a manufacturer of missile weapons. — tg_moscowtimes_ru
- In 2024, Bauman Moscow State Technical University signed an agreement with Rostec for training Iranian students for defense industry enterprises. — tg_moscowtimes_ru
- Ali Mohammad Amoui, an Iranian engineer who graduated from MAI in 2000, worked at the Farsco Aviation MRO Center and the Malak Ashtar University, both linked to Iran's Ministry of Defense. — tg_moscowtimes_ru
- Amoui co-authored research with MAI scientists on turbine blade coatings and strengthening titanium aircraft engine parts. — tg_moscowtimes_ru
- In the late 1990s, several Russian technical universities were sanctioned by the United States due to this cooperation. — tg_currenttime
Coverage (5 sources)
- Russia has already almost four decades of giving education and helping the start of scientific career of Iranian specialists in fields, — Настоящее Время
- Russian universities have become a training ground for the Iranian defense industry — The Moscow Times
- Cadre forge: how Russia helps Iran prepare specialists in dual technologies — Сибирь.Реалии
- Cadre forge: how Russia helps Iran prepare specialists in dual technologies — Север.Реалии
- Cadre forge: how Russia helps Iran prepare specialists in dual technologies — Радио Свобода