Claims of Iran drone deal highlight Russia's UAS capability gaps
According to US sources, Russia is interested in acquiring Shahed 121 (left) and Shahed 129 (right) UAVs. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
The US National Security Advisor's statement about the supply of Iranian drones to Russia has sparked considerable attention, but is this deal viable and really wanted by Moscow?
On 11 July Jake Sullivan, US National Security Adviser, made a statement regarding a potential arms deal between Iran and Russia. ‘The Iranian government is preparing to provide Russia with up to several hundred UAVs, including weapons-capable UAVs on an expedited timeline’, he said.
This was later supported with satellite imagery seemingly showing a visit of a Russian delegation to an Iranian air base for studying Iranian-made Shahed-129 and Shahed-191 drones.
The idea was soon denied by high-ranking Iranian and Russian officials. On 13 July Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said that the Islamic Republic has no plans to sell military equipment to
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