President Putin Visits Tehran, Army Commander Says Iran Is Ready To Export Drones To Friendly Countries

Brigadier General Kiumars Heydari. (Wikimedia Commons/Tasnim News Agency/Foad Ashtari)

JAKARTA - Iranian military officials revealed the country has advanced drone technology and is ready to export it to other countries, when Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the country on Tuesday.

Iranian Army Commander Brigadier General Kioumars Heydari said Iran was ready to export advanced weaponry, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), to friendly countries.

"Iran's armed forces have advanced drone production technology, these devices can be used at long distances as well as for reconnaissance and attack delivery abroad," he said, quoted by China Central Television's TASS of July 20 as saying.

"Iran has prepared weapons and equipment for export to friendly countries," continued General Heydari.

As previously reported, US President Jake Sullivan's National Security Adviser claimed Iran plans to hand over to Russia up to several hundred unmanned aerial vehicles, including those capable of carrying weaponry by July 11.

In addition, according to his information, Iran plans to train Russian troops to use these drones with the first phase of training starting in early July. However, Sullivan did not provide any evidence for his statement.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei received the visit of President Vladimir Putin accompanied by President Ebrahim Raisi. (Source: Kremlin.ru)

In an interview with La Repubblica newspaper published on July 13, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian did not confirm the sale of military equipment to Russia, including unmanned aerial vehicles, ensuring Tehran avoids any move that could lead to an escalation in Ukraine, and does not help either party to the conflict.

On the same day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the subject of selling UAVs would not be discussed during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Tehran in July and declined to comment on the matter.

President Putin arrived in Tehran yesterday for talks with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Ebrahim Raisi. For Iran, which is also irritated by Western economic sanctions and at odds with the United States over Tehran's nuclear program and other issues, Putin's visit is timely.

Iran's clerical leaders want to strengthen strategic ties with Russia against the US-backed Gulf Arab-Israel bloc that could shift the Middle East's balance of power further away from Iran.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei himself called for long-term cooperation between Moscow and Tehran, while remaining wary of 'Western scams'.