TEHRAN - The Iranian Ministry of Interior has finalized a $2.5 billion barter agreement with foreign manufacturers to supply 2,000 buses in its first phase and deliver hundreds of specialized firefighting and emergency vehicles to boost municipal transit and emergency response fleets across the country.
 Speaking at the signing ceremony, Masoud Nosrati, Deputy Minister of Interior and head of the Iran Municipalities and Rural Administrations Organization (IMO), noted that the agreement was secured despite the ongoing conditions of the imposed war following direct authorization from the president and close coordination with the Ministry of Petroleum and the Plan and Budget Organization.
Under the broader framework of the agreement, Turkish and Russian manufacturers are slated to supply a total of 4,000 buses. The initial phase will see 2,000 buses delivered to Iranian cities over the next four months within 2026, primarily targeting major metropolitan areas suffering from severe air pollution. Nosrati confirmed that two sample buses were brought through customs ten days ago and handed over to the IMO for testing.
Alongside the primary transit agreement, an addendum was exchanged for the acquisition of emergency and municipal safety equipment. This includes 288 foam fire engines, 174 turntable ladder fire trucks, 104 rescue ambulances, and 1,000 sets of specialized rescue uniforms and safety gear. Additionally, the Ministry of Interior is finalizing orders with the Turkish and Russian partners to supply subway cars for nine major Iranian metropolises, with operational deployment expected in the near future.
Nosrati highlighted that the multi-billion-dollar transaction is structured as a non-cash barter arrangement.
Arslan Turanci, CEO of the foreign contracting company, expressed pride in partnering with Iranian municipal authorities, confirming that two prototype buses were delivered upfront at no cost for field testing. He assured that all deliverables stipulated in the agreement will be executed strictly within the agreed timeframe.