Russians Given Drone Training in Iran

According to a CNN report on August 10, in the past few weeks, the Russians have begun learning how to use drones in Iran, indicating that the Russian Federation has serious intentions to purchase these devices.

“Over the past few weeks, Russian representatives have conducted training in Iran as part of an agreement to transfer unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Iran to Russia,” a US government official told CNN.

The issue here is unmanned aerial vehicles, the Shahed-191 and Shahed-129, which are capable of carrying high-precision missiles. In addition, Iran has a wide line of various aircraft: reconnaissance, kamikaze, radar, and attack. For the most part, they are produced according to the principle of a once captured American attack drone. The U.S. believes that Iran intends to sell hundreds of such drones to Russia.

In the meantime, Ukraine has been asking the U.S. for more powerful armed drones, such as the Gray Eagle. But the U.S. is reluctant to provide them out of fear, arguing this by the fact that Russia could see them as an escalation.

Russian delegations have visited an airfield in central Iran at least twice since June to study unmanned aerial vehicles carrying weapons, U.S. presidential adviser Jake Sullivan said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said Russia has no comment on this situation.

However, Russia is trying hard to replenish its supplies. That is why U.S. officials say that the growing relationship between Iran and Russia is an example of why the U.S. should maintain its presence and influence in the Middle East.

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According to Oleksiy Arestovych, a close aide to the head of the Ukrainian President’s Office, Iran has already handed over at least 46 attack drones to Russia. They have already managed to use them in the war against Ukraine.

In addition, on August 4, the Washington Post reported that after the launch of Iran’s Khayam intelligence satellite, Russia will be able to use it for its needs, primarily related to its war in Ukraine, for the first few months “or longer”.

However, on August 7, the Iranian Space Agency refuted information regarding Russia’s alleged access to the data of the satellite, the launch of which was planned for August 9. The statement also notes that the satellite control center will be located on the territory of Iran, and all data exchange with the device will pass through this center. Tehran has denied that it has sold drones to Russia.

The Washington Post reports that Iran needs the Khayam satellite for military purposes, primarily to monitor the territory of Israel and the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf.