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The AA-9 is the best evidence and cannot be discounted, the very best evidence that Russia got stuff from Iran. They did not have long-range missile capability in that form until Iran got F-14s and until the revolution when Iran was no longer an allie.
Not at all. Iran was never an ally of the USSR, and there is no evidence of any defections to Russia by Iranians. The development of the R-33 began when the Iranians were just receiving Tomcats, and the R-33 differs signficantly from the Pheonix (one way being that it has shorter range). The R-33 is not a watershed development in long range missile capabilities- compared to the R-40 Acrid the R-33 is simply the next step. The fact that they look "similar in form" means nothing- look how many other Russian missiles that predate the R-33 look similar to the Pheonix. But the burden of proof is not on my shoulders- show me one scrap of evidence, other than "visual similarities", that the Russians recieved a defecting Tomcat or a Pheonix. Interestingly, the Russians deny having recieved those two, while they gloat about all of their other spying and technology exploitation.
Zephyr
Well the Ruskies don't exactly have a clean rep. Half the planes they ever had in their Airforce were rip offs of American designs (Su-25
C-5, etc.