Russia: Missile Exports To Iran: Manufacturing and Test Equipment

To return to the main Missile Exports to Iran entry, see the Missile Exports to Iran file.

 

Manufacturing Equipment
A report in May 1997, citing U.S. intelligence sources, said that the Russian Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI) and Rosvoorouzheniye, the Russian state arms export company, had signed a contract to construct a wind tunnel and related facilities for the Iranian missile program, and that the Inor Production Association had agreed to supplying manufacturing equipment (as well as missile components and special materials) in the same $150,000 contract.[1] Later reports alleged that that Yuriy Koptev, head of the Russian Space Agency, and at least one top official of Rosvooruzheniye were directly involved in Russian cooperation with Iranian missile development efforts.[2,3] Rosvooruzheniye and Russian Space Agency spokesmen categorically denied these reports,[4,5] but Inor was later placed under special investigation for violation of Russian export control laws and penalized with US trade sanctions.[6,7]
Sources:
[1] Bill Gertz, “Russia Disregards Pledge to Curb Iran Missile Output,” Washington Times, 22 May 1997, p. A3.
[2] Steve Rodan, “Secret Israeli Data Reveals Iran Can Make Missile in Year,” Defense News, 6-12 October 1997, p. 4.
[3] Bill Gertz, “Russia, China Aid Iran’s Missile Program,” Washington Times, 10 September 1997, p. A1.
[4] ITAR-TASS, 15 September 1997; in “Russian Designers Deny Supplying Missile Technology to Iran,” FBIS-TAC-97-258.
[5] Interfax, 11 September 1997; in “No Russian Space Agency Expert ‘Has Even Been To Iran,’” FBIS-TAC-97-254.
[6] ITAR-TASS, 15 July 1998.
[7] White House, Office of the Press Secretary, "Statement by the President Expanding the President's Executive Order on Weapons of Mass Destruction," 28 July 1998. {entered 8/27/98 FW}

Testing Equipment
In December 1997, US intelligence agencies revealed that Iran tested a medium-range ballistic missile engine using measurement equipment supplied by NPO Trud. No further details were given on the specific equipment used, or on when, where, or to whom the equipment was provided.
[Barton Gellman, “Mixed Signals Cloud Debate on Iran Policy,” Washington Post, 31 December 1997.] {entered 8/27/98 FW}

Page last updated 13 January 1999
For more recent developments, see the Missile Exports to Iran Developments file.  

Comments or questions? Contact Michael Jasinski at MIIS CNS: Michael.Jasinski@miis.edu

This material is produced independently for NTI by the Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2002 by MIIS.

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