Fox News Report: Documents from the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran Regarding a Secret Drone Site in Northern Qom

The news network "Fox News" announced that the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran has sent documents to this media outlet revealing the existence of a "top-secret drone site" in the Ganjineh area north of Qom. According to this report, members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) are being trained at this location to use various types of drones, including the "Mohajer" series drones manufactured by Quds Aviation Industries. Quds Aviation Industries and its new name, the Light Aircraft Design and Manufacturing Company, are on the special list of individuals and entities sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The site is also used to train groups of Iranian proxies, including Hezbollah from Lebanon and other groups from Syria, Yemen, and Iraq, on how to operate the "Mohajer 4" drone. According to the report provided to Fox News by the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran, this top-secret site is a testing ground for the "Mohajer 4," "Mohajer 6," and "Mohajer 10" drones. Iranian officials have not yet responded to this report; however, Tehran has consistently denied reports related to these issues in recent years. Alireza Jafarzadeh, Deputy Director of the National Council of Resistance of Iran in Washington, referred to the Islamic Republic as the "head of the snake" and added that Western governments should hold it accountable for its malign activities instead of appeasing and engaging with it. Fox News stated that the documents and aerial images provided by the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran indicate that this top-secret site has expanded in recent years. According to the report, based on translated documents from the Iranian Armed Forces Real Estate Organization, this site was initially proposed as a drone testing site in 2005, and in May 2006, 1,800 hectares of land around Qom were allocated to the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics. The People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran claims that only 949 hectares of this land are currently in use. Satellite images show that a runway at this site was established at 500 meters in 2007, expanded to 1,400 meters in 2014, and further extended to 1,500 meters in 2020, now allowing for the testing of larger drones. Additionally, a hangar measuring 30 by 40 meters was added to the site in 2021. According to the report, drones have played a significant role in escalating tensions following the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas militants on Israel. Data from the U.S. Peace Institute indicates that U.S. forces stationed in the Middle East have been targeted over 160 times by Iranian proxy groups from October 2023 to February 2024, and during one of these drone attacks on January 28, three U.S. soldiers were killed in Jordan. Furthermore, in the April 13 attack by the Islamic Republic on Israel, in addition to cruise and ballistic missiles, the "Shahed 136" drone was also used. The U.S. has stated that Iranian proxies continue to plan attacks on American forces. The UK has imposed new sanctions on Iran's drone and missile industries. The U.S. has also imposed fresh sanctions related to Iran's drone assistance to Russia. New sanctions against Iran's drone program have been announced; Biden stated that the U.S. is committed to Israel's security. Reuters reported that most Iranian drones over Syria have been shot down "by Israeli and American jets." Iran has launched retaliatory attacks; regional media report the beginning of operations to intercept Iranian drones.