Infantry Weapons

Hoshdar-M sniper rifle

Also known as
  • Nakhjir

The Hoshdar-M is an Iranian SVD-pattern sniper and designated marksman rifle, also associated in UN reporting with the Nakhjir name. Its 2014 Yemen Civil War relevance comes from the 20 March 2016 FS Provence interdiction, where investigators documented 64 rifles in a dhow shipment later identified by the UN as Iranian-produced SVD sniper rifles and linked to an Iran-to-Yemen supply route.

Hoshdar-M sniper rifle, SVD-pattern sniper and designated marksman rifle, Infantry Weapons
Image source: SVD DD-ST-85-01254 Image

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Iran
Type
SVD-pattern sniper and designated marksman rifle
Service note
Documented in regional maritime arms interdictions during the 2014 Yemen Civil War
Designer
Based on the Soviet SVD/Dragunov pattern
Designed
Not publicly confirmed
Unit cost
Not publicly available
Produced
Pre-2016 examples documented
Number built
At least 64 documented in the FS Provence seizure

Specifications

Pattern
SVD-pattern semi-automatic sniper/designated marksman rifle
Documented quantity
64 rifles in the March 2016 FS Provence seizure
Condition
New-condition rifles documented in UN and CAR reporting
Identification
The UN Monitoring Group said the rifles had characteristics consistent with Iranian-produced SVD sniper rifles (Hoshdar-M)
Optics
Optical sights intended for SVD sniper rifles were documented with the same seizure
Variants
  • Nakhjir sniper rifle
Compatible Ammunition

This page links to the cartridge identified in the same reporting as the Hoshdar-M chambering.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
7.62x54mmR cartridge, Rimmed full-power rifle cartridge, Munitions7.62x54mmR cartridge7.62x54mmR rifle cartridge

War Noir's reporting describes the Hoshdar-M sniper rifle as chambered in 7.62x54mmR.

Sources: War Noir - Telegram, War Noir on X

Timeline

Hoshdar-M sniper rifle Key Events

  1. La Provence intercepts the dhow shipment

    The French naval vessel La Provence boarded a stateless dhow heading toward Somalia and seized the weapons later tied to the Hoshdar-M record.

    Sources: UN Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group Report S/2017/924

  2. UN report identifies the rifle family

    The UN Monitoring Group reported that the 64 sniper rifles had characteristics consistent with Iranian-produced SVD sniper rifles (Hoshdar-M) and could also appear under the name Nakhjir sniper rifles.

    Sources: UN Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group Report S/2017/924

Interdiction Findings

UN reporting ties the Hoshdar-M to a March 2016 maritime seizure and treats it as part of the Iranian-produced SVD family.

FindingDetailSource
Seizure dateLa Provence stopped and boarded a stateless dhow on 20 March 2016.UN Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group Report S/2017/924
Family identificationThe report says the 64 sniper rifles had characteristics consistent with Iranian-produced SVD sniper rifles (Hoshdar-M).UN Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group Report S/2017/924
Alternate nameHoshdar-M rifles could also appear under the name Nakhjir sniper rifles.UN Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group Report S/2017/924
Media

Hoshdar-M sniper rifle Images

Hoshdar-M sniper rifle, SVD-pattern sniper and designated marksman rifle, Infantry Weapons - view 1
Source: SVD Dragunov Image
Related Weapon Systems
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Sources

Maritime Interdictions of Weapon Supplies to Somalia and YemenPublisher: Conflict Armament Research | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War transfer context: CAR describes illegal dhow shipments destined for Somalia and Yemen and documents Hoshdar-M rifles assessed as supplied to or transferred to the Iran-linked weapons pipeline. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Responding to Iran's Arms Smuggling in YemenPublisher: The Washington Institute for Near East Policy | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War conflict use context: reports Hoshdar-M rifles in the Provence seizure and frames them as transferred to the Houthi arms-supply pipeline. | Accessed: 2026-06-20How Iranian Weapons Are Ending Up in YemenPublisher: The Washington Post | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War conflict use context: reports that the Hoshdar-M rifles were shipped in a seizure tied to Iranian weapons transferred to Houthi-aligned forces in Yemen. | Accessed: 2026-06-20UN Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group Report S/2017/924Publisher: United Nations Security Council | Note: Supports manufacturer, background, and specs: identifies 64 Hoshdar-M SVD sniper rifles in the FS Provence seizure, says they were in new condition, and states that Hoshdar-M rifles were manufactured by Iran's Defence Industries Organization; the report also says they could appear under the name Nakhjir sniper rifles. | Accessed: 2026-06-20SVD DD-ST-85-01254 ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and public-domain license for a representative SVD-pattern rifle image; a rights-clear Hoshdar-M-specific image was not available. | Accessed: 2026-06-20SVD Dragunov ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and reusable-license context for a second representative SVD-pattern rifle image used in the gallery. | Accessed: 2026-06-26War Noir - TelegramPublisher: War Noir | Note: Supports the Hoshdar-M chambering claim by identifying the rifle in open-source reporting as chambered in 7.62x54mmR. | Accessed: 2026-06-28War Noir on XPublisher: War Noir | Note: Supports the Hoshdar-M chambering claim by identifying the rifle in open-source reporting as chambered in 7.62x54mmR. | Accessed: 2026-06-28