Russia strikes drone deal with Iran – Washington Post – RT Russia and the former Soviet Union
Moscow and Tehran have repeatedly denied that arms deliveries took place amid the conflict in Ukraine
Moscow and Tehran have deepened defense ties under a deal in which Iranian-designed drones will be built in Russia for use in Ukraine, Western security officials told The Washington Post.
Previously, Moscow and Tehran have denied that arms deliveries took place amid the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv.
The deal to give Russia its own assembly line will allow Moscow to rapidly expand its arsenal of relatively inexpensive and highly effective Iranian drones, the newspaper reported on Saturday, citing three unidentified people familiar with the matter. The deal was reportedly reached earlier this month at a meeting in Iran.
According to the Post, Russia and Iran are working quickly to transfer designs and key components for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which could allow production to begin within months.
Russian forces have already deployed 400 Iranian-made attack drones since August, advancing its strategy of “relentless air assaults on Ukrainian cities”, according to the report. Self-detonating drones filled with explosives were reportedly used to destroy electrical installations and other infrastructure.
The UAV manufacturing deal would allow Russia to boost its supply of precision-guided munitions, while Iranian leaders believe they can avoid further sanctions because the drones would not be assembled in their country, said the post.
Allegations of arms supplies from Iran to Russia have surfaced in recent months after Moscow began using suicide drones in Ukraine. kyiv insists the drones, known as Geran-2, are actually Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones. The United States and its allies say Iran supplied Russia with drones in violation of a UN Security Council resolution.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said his country had only provided Russia with a “small number of drones” months before the start of the conflict.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in October that all weapons used by Russian troops came from domestic stocks, and “Any other questions can be addressed to the Ministry of Defence.”
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