...now Gold has found its commercial use. Russia transferred 1.8 tons of gold bars (approx US$104 mn) to Iran as payment for drones
WaPo had the story of a March 2023 contract transactionEamonn Sheridan
Friday, 30/05/2025 | 11:15 GMT+10
Russia paid Iran with 1.8 tons of gold — valued at around $104 million — for Shahed-136 drones, according to U.S. analysts at C4ADS, as reported by The Washington Post.
The payment was outlined in a March 2023 contract, with gold priced at $58.32 per gram. A second deal for over 2 tons of gold was signed weeks later, though its delivery remains unconfirmed. Analysts say using gold allowed Russia to sidestep U.S. sanctions that target dollar-based transactions.
