Iran secretly received Spartak 4x4 MRAP armored vehicles from Russia for border patrols.

Iran has publicly unveiled a previously undisclosed batch of Russian-made Spartak 4x4 MRAP armored vehicles at a recent border guard ceremony.

As reported by Yuri Lyamin on November 23, 2025, Iran held a ceremony for the transfer of new land and air equipment to the border guards of the national law enforcement forces, where Russian-made Spartak mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles were publicly unveiled alongside Iranian Joshan armored cars and armored Toyota Land Cruiser 70-series, as well as other operational and tactical vehicles, UAVs, and motorcycles. Iranian officials stated that these deliveries increase border-guard capability by about 13 percent and vehicle fleet capacity by roughly 5 percent, presenting the reinforcement as one of the largest improvements to the structure of the border service in recent years.
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During the event, commanders explained that many vehicles had been procured earlier and kept in reserve for rapid deployment, while highlighting that foreign systems such as the Spartak fill specific gaps inside a wider modernization plan that also includes domestic production lines and upgrading of existing assets. (Picture source: X/Yuri Lyamin)

The Spartak, known as AMN-590951 or VPK-Ural, is a Russian 4x4 armored vehicle developed by the Military-Industrial Company and first shown during the Army-2019 exhibition, designed on an MRAP principle using a welded monocoque hull with a V-shaped underbody capable of resisting blasts equivalent to 6 to 8 kilograms of TNT. Its armor includes reinforced frontal and roof sections able to withstand 12.7 mm fire, with optional plates to resist 14.5 mm rounds, while critical aggregates match protection levels comparable to Br5 and Br6A in Russian classification. The Spartak has been used by the Russian National Guard, internal troops, and special forces, confirmed through its participation in the 2023 and 2024 Victory Day parades in Moscow and its deployment in Syria and Ukraine, where some units were captured and reused by Ukrainian forces. Dimensions of the Spartak vary by configuration, with lengths between 6 and 7 meters, widths between 2.5 and 3 meters, and heights between 2.5 and 3 meters, ensuring an interior volume large enough for personnel and equipment.

The AMN-590951 Spartak uses a YaMZ-536 turbocharged diesel engine rated around 360 horsepower combined with either a five-speed mechanical or six-speed automatic transmission, producing road speeds around 80 to 100 km/h, depending on the terrain, and maintaining 40 to 60 km/h off-road, with an operational range close to 1,000 km. The crew compartment accommodates a crew of two plus up to ten additional personnel, depending on layout, and includes firing ports, bullet-resistant windows, and access via side and rear doors. The roof normally supports an open armored turret that can be armed with a 12.7-mm Kord machine gun, PK or PKP machine guns, or AGS-17, AGS-30, or AGS-40 automatic grenade launchers, and the manufacturer indicates compatibility with remote-controlled weapon stations such as the Arbalet-DM. The Spartak has been observed carrying supplies in combat, and photographic records from Ukraine show versions destroyed by FPV drones and one example encased in improvised slat armor to mitigate drone strikes.

Between 2019 and 2024, several variants were created, including the AMN-59097 three-axle version with a longer chassis weighing around 22.5 tons, which can serve in cargo roles or as a fire support vehicle equipped with a 57-mm AZP-S-60 semi-automatic cannon. The Tornado-G variant adapts the Spartak into a multiple rocket launcher system (MLRS), while another configuration functions as an artillery command post fitted with the Tablet-M-IR fire-control system. Air defense derivatives include the Rapira-3, integrating ten modified S-8 rockets adapted for ground-to-air use, and the Rapira-2, which uses small-caliber weapons and radar sensors to detect UAVs at distances up to 20,000 meters. The S-8 rockets, originally designed in the 1970s for aircraft such as Mi-8, Mi-24, Mi-28N, Ka-52, Su-25, and Su-34, retain ranges between 2 and 4 kilometers depending on warhead and remain part of the Spartak-based counter-UAV concept. For Russia, these configurations highlight the Spartak’s modularity for reconnaissance, artillery support, and anti-drone missions.

Confirmed operators of the VPK-Ural includes Gabon, where four Spartaks in Gabonese colors appeared during the 2024 Independence Day parade in Libreville after an unpublicized delivery that may have involved intermediary partners due to sanctions on Russian military exports. Nigeria developed a closely related vehicle known as the PF-Hulk after Proforce Defence engineers worked in Russia for six months on modifications based on the Spartak structure, using a YaMZ-536 engine, a weight around 14,500 kg, 400-mm ground clearance, and dimensions of about 6,500 mm by 2,550 mm by 2,800 mm. The United Arab Emirates collaborated with Russian firms to create the Condor-SUT MRAP derived from Spartak components, while Kazakhstan’s National Guard, Libyan armed forces, and formations associated with the African Corps have also been linked to the Spartak. In Ukraine, around twenty Spartaks have been documented as destroyed or damaged since 2022, with three captured and at least one used by Ukrainian units.

Iran’s reception of Spartak MRAPs fits into a broader pattern of targeted acquisitions from Russia dating back to the early 2000s, when Russia became Iran’s primary arms supplier and delivered about 85 percent of Iran’s military imports between 2000 and 2007, valued at around 1.96 billion dollars. Cooperation expanded despite restrictions such as the 2010 United Nations Security Council Resolution 1929, which halted deliveries of heavy weapons including the S-300, leading to a temporary cancellation before the system was eventually transferred in 2016 following changes in the political environment. Alongside these purchases, which also include the Murmansk-BN electronic warfare system, Russia and Iran have worked together in Syria since 2011, coordinated on issues in Central Asia, and conducted exchanges involving aircraft, helicopters, and artillery systems, although some reported large-scale deals have been questioned due to financial and logistical constraints. Today, Iranian officials present acquisitions such as the Spartak as narrow capability fillers rather than indicators of heavy foreign dependence.

Iran–Russia ties also feature political dialogue and proposals involving organizations such as the Collective Security Treaty Organization, where Iran was invited in 2007 but ultimately did not join, and where observer-status discussions continued intermittently. Sanctions cycles have shaped procurement decisions, including debates over military assets such as Su-35 fighters, naval cooperation, and technology transfers. Russian delegations have visited Iranian drone facilities, and Iranian UAVs have appeared in conflicts involving Russia, illustrating cooperation in the opposite direction as well. Both states continue to maintain diplomatic channels, economic links, and military exchanges, while navigating regional tensions involving Israel, the Gulf, and the broader Middle Eastern environment. Within this context, the public introduction of Spartak vehicles into Iranian border forces represents one component of an ongoing relationship that includes arms transfers, training, and discussions over future procurement, shaped by operational needs, sanctions frameworks, and shared strategic interests across multiple regions.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.