A delegation of Russian officials visited an airfield in central Iran at least twice in the last month to examine military drones it is looking to acquire for its ongoing war in Ukraine.
The White House released a report on Saturday as President Joe Biden was about to hold a meeting with the leaders of six Persian Gulf countries, plus Egypt, Jordan and Iraq in a regional summit.
Iran began showcasing the Shahed-191 and Shahed-129 drones – both capable of carrying precision-guided missiles -- to Russia at Kashan Airfield south of Tehran in June.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan disclosed satellite photos of drones in flight during the Russians' visit as Iran was showcasing its weapons-capable UAVs. “This suggests ongoing Russian interest in acquiring Iranian attack-capable UAVs," he said.
On July 11, Sullivan revealed that Iran is preparing to train Russian personnel to use its drones perhaps as early as this month, adding, “Our information indicates that the Iranian government is preparing to provide Russia with up to several hundred UAVs, including weapons-capable UAVs on an expedited timeline.”
Yevheniia Kravchuk, an official of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s political party, told Iran International on July 12 that the news has shocked Ukrainian officials, noting that Tehran’s decision would lead to the death of more Ukrainian civilians.
Fars News highlighted Friday a phone conversation between Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Ukrainian counterpart Dymytro Kuleba, in which the Iranian dismissed claims that Tehran was preparing to send drones to Moscow to help its military effort.
