Russias Collaboration with Irans Nuclear Experts Raises Alarm Over Weapons Development

Iranian nuclear scientists undertook a second clandestine visit to Russia last year, which U.S. officials claim was aimed at acquiring sensitive technologies with potential applications for nuclear weapons, according to a report from the Financial Times published on Wednesday.

The trip in November 2024 followed a previously reported visit in August of the same year, and was part of an increasing collaboration between Russian military-affiliated research institutions and Iran’s Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND), which the U.S. links to Iran’s military and its nuclear research endeavors.

This series of meetings provides significant evidence that Moscow is open to sharing knowledge with Tehran that could aid in nuclear weapons development, as noted by the Financial Times.

Evidence indicates that Iranian specialists connected to defense were “actively seeking laser technology and expertise that could assist in validating a nuclear weapon design without the need for a nuclear explosive test,” stated Jim Lamson, a senior fellow at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies and a former CIA analyst.

The Financial Times reported that DamavandTec, a front company for SPND, arranged the November 2024 trip for Iranian laser experts to St. Petersburg. During this visit, they engaged with officials from Laser Systems, a Russian company that develops laser technologies for both civilian applications and classified military projects, which is currently under U.S. sanctions.

Furthermore, the report mentioned that Andrei Savin, a former technical director at Laser Systems and now a prominent figure at the St. Petersburg conglomerate Struynye Tekhnologii, visited Tehran in February 2025, where he conferred with representatives from DamavandTec and officials believed to be connected with SPND.

In addition to his corporate role, Savin serves as a professor at Baltic State Technical University, one of Russia’s leading military-technical institutions.

In October, the U.S. imposed sanctions on DamavandTec and its CEO, Ali Kalvand, accusing them of attempting to acquire foreign goods “related to the development of nuclear explosive devices” on behalf of SPND and facilitating travel for Iranian nuclear experts to Russia.

These meetings represent “strong evidence that Russia is aiding Iran in its nuclear weapons-related research, with state-linked Russian institutions supplying dual-use technology and knowledge,” Nicole Grajewski from the Carnegie Endowment’s nuclear policy program informed the Financial Times.

According to her, these activities seemed to have received “high-level authorization from both Russian and Iranian officials.”

The United States and Israel have accused Iran of trying to develop a nuclear weapon, a claim Iran denies, asserting its “non-negotiable” right to pursue a civilian nuclear program.

While Russia claims to oppose a nuclear-armed Iran, it supports Tehran’s right to employ nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, stated in June that there is no definitive evidence that Iran is working on a bomb, but expressed concerns about Tehran’s lack of transparency.

He also noted that Iran is enriching uranium to 60%, a level that no other country utilizes for civilian purposes, and which is nearly equivalent to the 90% enrichment threshold necessary for weapons.

Israeli officials contend that Iran has already begun developing components essential for detonating a nuclear weapon. They alerted Washington to their concerns prior to launching airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June, and U.S. President Donald Trump ultimately ordered U.S. strikes as well.