From Russian classrooms to Iran’s defense industry: how Moscow trains Iranian specialists

Russia has been training Iranian military engineers in various fields, including aircraft manufacturing, missile development, satellite navigation, and nuclear technology, at its universities for almost four decades. In 2025, Iranian co-authored papers almost equaled German ones at St Petersburg's ITMO University, despite Germany being a key partner before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Over 10,000 Iranian students were enrolled at Russian universities in 2025, a 42% increase from two years earlier. Some Iranian students, like Ali Mohammad Amoui, have interned at Russian missile manufacturers and held positions in Iranian firms tied to the country's Defense Ministry. Cooperation extends to satellite navigation and electronic warfare, with Iranian professors researching GPS spoofing and working with Russian universities. Some of this work is dual-use, with civilian and military applications alike.