Iranian lawmaker Hadi Beiginejad
An Iranian lawmaker says the military cooperation between Tehran and Moscow has upset the political equations of the global order, confirming Russia’s request to buy Iranian drones.
Hadi Beiginejad, a member of the parliament's energy committee, told the Iranian government’s official website IRNA on Tuesday that Iran’s progress in the field of building unmanned aerial vehicles has significantly changed the country’s image in the international arena.
He said selling drones has strengthened Iran's ties with friendly countries, describing it as a beneficial factor for the peace and stability of the region.
He added that the United States has admitted to rise of Iran’s might in drone productions, and is well aware of the cost of dealing with Iranian drones in the region.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan warned twice in July that Moscow appears to be looking at buying Iranian drones and Russian officers even visited a drone base in Iran’s Kashan to review their options. His statements hinted at possible training of Russian crews to operate the drones and said the this would cause more civilian deaths in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the head of US Central Intelligence Agency, William Burns said on July 20, “It’s true that the Russians are reaching out to the Iranians to try to acquire armed drones,” Bloomberg reported. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Mike Milley also confirmed that Russia is planning to obtain Iranian drones to strengthen its weakening position in battles.
An adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky told Iran International on Monday that Russia and Iran are allies in the Ukraine war and it won’t be a surprise if Tehran supplies drones to Moscow.