Russia has obtained “hundreds” of Iranian drones – АР

Russia has obtained “hundreds” of Iranian drones, according to Western intelligence officials.

The Associated Press reported this with reference to officials.

Tehran made the delivery despite warnings from the US not to ship them.

It’s unclear whether Russia has begun flying the drones against Ukrainian targets.

The publication emphasizes that since such a delivery took place according to intelligence services, it must be a sign of close military cooperation between Moscow and Tehran.

It is being discussed in political circles against the background of the ongoing negotiations of the US and Iran for the latter to resume its compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal that the United States left in 2018. The idea is to ease sanctions against Iran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program.

At the same time, the opponents of a deal say lifting sanctions on Tehran could enable Russia to strengthen its war effort in Ukraine and circumvent penalties imposed after the February invasion by funneling oil and other products through Iran.

As previously reported, Russian specialists are undergoing training in Iran on the use of locally developed drones.

The US believes that the training of Russian specialists in Iran indicates Russia’s intention to purchase Iranian equipment.

Previously, Iran showcased the Shahed-191 and Shahed-129 drones to representatives of Russia.

In July, Iran responded to accusations regarding the supply of Iranian drones to Russia. The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, Nasser Kanaani, stated that cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation began even before the beginning of the war in Ukraine.