Iran Ramps Up Drone Exports, Signaling Global Ambitions (nytimes.com) 16
Iran has made steady advances in the design and production of military drones in recent years, and has stepped up their transfer to militant groups across the Middle East as it seeks to shift the dynamics of battlefields from Yemen to Gaza. Those efforts have now extended far beyond the region. From a report: Iran is now seeking to build its global clout and sell increasingly sophisticated weapons-capable drones commercially to other nations, including those that have been subject to various sanctions in recent years, like Venezuela and Sudan, according to Iranian news media, satellite images and defense experts inside and outside Iran.
That has provided an important source of funds and political influence for Iran, which is itself isolated and struggling under U.S. financial restrictions. Now, Russia may be a potential client. Washington said this month that it had intelligence that Moscow planned to purchase hundreds of drones from Iran to bolster its arsenal for the war in Ukraine. U.S. officials have urged Iran not to sell drones to Russia and warned of consequences for both countries. Iran's foreign ministry said in a statement that its military cooperation with Russia predated the war, without providing details, and its foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, said in an interview with the Italian daily La Repubblica in July that the country had no plans to provide military equipment to either side of the conflict.
That has provided an important source of funds and political influence for Iran, which is itself isolated and struggling under U.S. financial restrictions. Now, Russia may be a potential client. Washington said this month that it had intelligence that Moscow planned to purchase hundreds of drones from Iran to bolster its arsenal for the war in Ukraine. U.S. officials have urged Iran not to sell drones to Russia and warned of consequences for both countries. Iran's foreign ministry said in a statement that its military cooperation with Russia predated the war, without providing details, and its foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, said in an interview with the Italian daily La Repubblica in July that the country had no plans to provide military equipment to either side of the conflict.
Iran (Score:1)
Iran can go to hell for supporting Nazi Russia
Re: (Score:1)
You're funny, USA has supported various neo-nazi groups in countries for the purposes of overthrowing democratically elected governments.
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Scumbag. Russian-speaking population was fine all along in Ukraine, and only hidden or, finally, open aggression from the neighbor was setting scene for an unprecedented murder and destruction in FOREIGN state. This is wrong, you wouldn't diminish with your tongue.
They shot down a US Global Hawk in 2019 (Score:2)
...and now they have found out all its secrets?
Re: (Score:3)
Ya, those sneaky Iranians are clearly too stupid to figure it out on their own or get their nice Chinese friends to help them out.
2011 : They hijacked and landed anotherone safely (Score:2)
Nobody deserves toys like these if one's enemy can safely land it without a scratch within their territory.
And any kid can build a drone in his backyard shed with enough credit.
Re: (Score:2)
If you look at their latest and greatest, the Mohajer 6, it's a scaled-up model aircraft, nothing even remotely like a Global Hawk. While it's still miles better than the Russian Skotch Spetsial'nyy drones (may have spelled that name wrong) they've been operating in Ukraine, it's still a scaled-up model airplane.
You've also got to remember that there's always been a significant gap between what Iran claims and apparently shows off (until the video doctoring is spotted), and what it's really got. So it's
That's funny I thought they just wouldn't bother (Score:2)
And completely unrelated news our country and and our country's defense industry would like very much for there to be new enemies to frighten you with and a new Cold War. Always remember to keep fighting among yourselves while they laugh at you all the way to the bank.
Re:That's funny I thought they just wouldn't bothe (Score:4, Insightful)
I mean why would a country try to develop its military and arms export businesses? I can't think of a single good reason to do that after all.
It's also yet another made-in-USA mess, Trump applied sanctions on Iran as another one of his arbitrary policy decisions, Iran exports drones as a means of getting income that's otherwise blocked by sanctions. The solution is simple, tell Iran to stop exporting drones and other military gear to countries the US doesn't like and in exchange the US will lift the sanctions so Iran no longer needs to sell military gear to countries the US doesn't like.
Big deal (Score:2)
Can their drones do this [twitter.com]?
How will they do against anti-drone? (Score:2)
I'm wondering how well Iran's drones will do against countermeasures? If they can't handle a heavily jammed military environment they won't be worth much.
https://anti-drone.eu/products... [anti-drone.eu]