Russia reportedly offered Iran thousands of advanced drones designed to evade electronic jamming, along with training on how to use them against American troops in the Middle East, according to a confidential intelligence document obtained by The Economist.

The report suggests Moscow may be escalating its support for Tehran beyond intelligence-sharing and into direct military assistance that could threaten U.S. and allied forces in the Gulf.

According to the report, Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency prepared a 10-page proposal offering Iran 5,000 short-range fiber-optic drones, an undisclosed number of longer-range satellite-guided drones and a training program for drone operators.

The Economist said it reviewed the proposal, which included diagrams and maps showing strategic Iranian coastal areas and islands near the Strait of Hormuz.

While there is no confirmation the plan was ultimately carried out, regional intelligence sources described the proposal as credible and consistent with growing military cooperation between Moscow and Tehran.

The report comes as concerns continue mounting over the increasingly close alliance among Russia, Iran, and anti-Western forces across the region.

Unlike conventional drones controlled through radio signals, fiber-optic drones use thin cables that trail behind them, making them extremely difficult to jam electronically. The technology has played a major role in the Ukraine war, where Russian forces have used the drones to devastating effect.

The drones can carry out precision strikes from more than 25 miles away and provide operators with clearer video feeds while remaining nearly impossible to detect electronically.

The report also claims Russia proposed supplying Iran with longer-range drones equipped with Starlink satellite terminals — technology Moscow reportedly used in Ukraine to evade or strike enemy air defenses.

The document acknowledged that Starlink access in the Middle East could eventually be shut down but suggested the drones could still create “disorder” among American forces before any restrictions took effect, according to The Economist.

Additionally, the proposal outlined plans to recruit drone operators from among Iranian students studying in Russia, along with Tajiks and members of Syria’s Alawite minority tied to the former Assad regime.

According to the report, the GRU believed U.S. amphibious forces and landing craft would be particularly vulnerable to swarms of drone attacks because of their slow speed.

The document was reportedly drafted early in the conflict, when Russian and Iranian officials feared President Donald Trump could authorize ground operations against Iran, including a possible move to seize Kharg Island, one of Tehran’s most important oil terminals.

Even while acknowledging Russia’s military commitments in Ukraine, the GRU proposal argued that limited, deniable support for Iran could complicate any U.S. military operation without triggering a direct confrontation between Washington and Moscow.