Iran emerged as global leader in drone production: US officials

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
15 Feb 2023 10:38
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Analysts from the Defense Intelligence Agency say Iran has become a global leader in the production of cheap and very effective drones.

An Iranian drone launched during a military exercise in an undisclosed location in Iran, Aug. 25, 2022 (Reuters)

United States officials pointed out that Iran is emerging as a global leader in the production of cheap and lethal drones.

During a briefing in London, analysts from the Defense Intelligence Agency claimed that Iran had turned from being a regional drone player in the Middle East to Russia's most significant military backer in the war.

One US official highlighted that Tehran emerged as a global leader in the production of cheap and very effective drones.

On February 8, the Iranian news agency Entekhab quoted a senior official at the Iranian Intelligence Ministry as saying that China was among 90 countries "queuing up" to buy Iran-made drones.

"Our power has grown to levels where China is waiting in line to buy 15,000 of our drones," said the director of the Iranian Intelligence Ministry's Think Tank for Political Research.

In late December 2022, the Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, Major General Ali Bagheri, underlined that Iran stands among the world's five leading countries in terms of drone capabilities.

It is noteworthy that since the start of the Ukraine war, Washington has repeatedly accused Tehran of taking sides and supplying Moscow with drones to use against Kiev, seeking to impose continuous sanctions against Iran.

However, Iran has continuously affirmed that it will not side in the war, denying all Western claims that it has provided Moscow with weapons to be used in Ukraine.

Iranian officials have also confirmed that Iran did provide a small batch of drones to Russia, but that was before the Ukraine conflict broke out.

In addition, Iranian Defense Minister Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani pointed out that Kiev failed to provide concrete evidence proving that Iran had supplied drones to Russia.

Ashtiani noted that Iran and Russia have a trade and military history that stretches back for decades, but they have never discussed supplying Iranian-made drones to be used in the Ukraine war.