Iran unveiled a new drone on Saturday during an exhibition that shows the country’s home-made drones.
Iran’s defence chief, Brigadier General Mohammadreza Ashtiani, said that “Iranians are witnessing the flourishing of the drone industry and the emergence of new operational achievements in this field,” Iran Front Page reported.
The development came as the world powers hope to revive a 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran. A new round of talks between the parties to the deal started last Tuesday in Vienna.
The Iranian drone threat has been around for many years. In 2019 the Islamic Republic used drones and cruise missiles to attack Saudi Arabia’s massive Abqaiq energy facility. Iran transferred drone technology to the Houthi rebels in Yemen, to Hamas, the Shi’ite militias in Iraq, and also to Hezbollah.
Iranian-backed militias in Iraq have also attacked US forces at facilities in Erbil, capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, several times last year.