U.S. Intelligence Officials: Iranian Drone Production Center in Russia to Be Completed Next Year

U.S. intelligence officials warned that Moscow, with the help of the Islamic Republic, is constructing a drone production center on Russian soil that is expected to be completed by April next year. According to CNN, they added that this could have a significant impact on the course of the war in Ukraine. CNN noted that analysts from the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency said during a meeting on Friday that with the establishment of this drone production center, Russia will have access to a greater number of drones than it has so far procured from Iran. Previously, the U.S. Institute of Peace stated that Tehran and Moscow began efforts to produce around six thousand Iranian drones on Russian territory earlier this year. Prior to that, John Kirby, the White House spokesperson, had said that the Iranian drone production facilities in Russia are likely to be fully operational by early next year. According to Reuters, he indicated through satellite information that the production site for these drones is the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in the autonomous Republic of Tatarstan in western Russia. Mr. Kirby also noted that Iranian drones are delivered to Russian forces via the Caspian Sea for use in the war against Ukraine. In recent months, most Western countries have criticized the Islamic Republic for sending drones to Russia. Among them, NATO member countries issued a statement on July 10, urging the Islamic Republic to stop its military support for Russia, including the delivery of drones. The statement emphasized that Russia, using Iranian drones, has targeted critical infrastructure in Ukraine, resulting in a significant number of civilian casualties in the country. Moscow and Tehran deny the accusations of using Iranian drones in the war against Ukraine. However, images released of parts found in Ukraine indicate the use of these drones. Following NATO's statement, the U.S. emphasized the need to hold the Islamic Republic accountable in this regard. A U.S. State Department spokesperson stated on July 11, in response to the Persian section of Voice of America, that the United States, along with its allies and partners, continues to work with NATO to hold Iran accountable. He noted that the military weapons from Iran used by Russia in the war against Ukraine are subject to ongoing sanctions against those involved in transferring these weapons from Iran to Russia. This U.S. official also emphasized that the country had previously imposed new restrictions in coordination with Britain and the European Union to prevent the use of electronic components in the construction of Iranian drones. According to this U.S. official, Washington announced last month the establishment of a new advisory unit within the U.S. government to help better inform economic actors and other governments about the risks posed by Iran's drone program and Tehran's illegal actions to obtain the necessary components for drone construction. He emphasized that this newly established unit will assist governments and businesses in taking necessary actions to prevent any inadvertent assistance to Iran's drone program. Kyiv had previously announced that some parts belonging to Iranian "Shahed" drones were produced in countries allied with Ukraine. According to the American publication "Wall Street Journal," information obtained from the examination of downed Iranian drones in Ukraine indicates that most of the parts of these drones were produced by companies in the U.S. and Europe. The U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations stated: Iran's sending of drones to Russia is a gross violation of Resolution 2231. Russia conducted a "retaliatory" attack on the port of Odessa in Ukraine. The final statement of the NATO summit of 31 member states urged Iran to stop delivering drones to Russia. Reactions to the six-month report of the UN Secretary-General on Resolution 2231; the U.S. stated it is incomplete. Ukrainian innovators are attempting to more effectively shoot down Russian "Shahed" drones. Ukraine: Iranian-made attack drones were tracked and destroyed over Kyiv. Britain: A dispute has begun at high levels of the Iranian government over the sale of drones to Russia.