The American network “CNN” revealed that Iran and Russia had reached an agreement to start producing attack drones in Russia, quoting a new intelligence report prepared by a country that closely monitors the Iranian weapons program, according to the description of the American network.
CNN also quoted informed sources as saying that Iran had begun transferring drone plans and components to Russia after concluding a preliminary agreement earlier this month.
The source added that if the two countries go full steam ahead with their plan, production is expected to begin within a few months.
Russia will likely use the drones on the battlefield in Ukraine next year.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said on November 5 that his country had delivered a limited number of drones to Russia months before the start of the war in Ukraine, and this came after criticism and sanctions from Western powers in response to Tehran providing Russia with these drones.
"This fuss was made by some Western countries that Iran provided missiles and drones to Russia to help the war in Ukraine. The part about missiles is completely wrong," the Iranian official news agency (IRNA) quoted the foreign minister as saying.
Abdollahian added, "The part related to drones is correct. We provided Russia with a small number of them months before the Ukraine war."
Over the past few weeks, Kyiv has reported an upsurge in Russian suicide drone attacks on the country's civilian infrastructure, particularly targeting power plants and dams, using Iranian-made Shahed-136s, which Russia has denied.
Last month, the European Union approved new sanctions against Iran for delivering drones to Russia, and Britain imposed sanctions on 3 Iranian military figures and a defense company for providing Russia with drones to attack civilian and infrastructure targets in Ukraine.
Switzerland also imposed sanctions against the Iranian manufacturer of "Shahid" drones, due to their use by the Russian army in the Ukraine war.
On October 29, the Ukrainian Air Force announced that it had shot down more than 300 Iranian Shahed-136 drones so far.
Kyiv says that about 400 Iranian drones have been used against civilians in the country, and that Moscow has requested about 2,000 drones from Tehran.