As per White House officials, the military collaboration between Russia and Iran is getting stronger day by day. On Friday, they disclosed newly declassified information regarding a drone factory in Russia that is being aided by Iran. Over the past few months, Moscow has repeatedly used homemade Iranian drones for attacking Ukraine. This includes assaults on civilian structures, buildings, and electrical facilities as part of their attempt to diminish Ukrainian morale. Due to the depleting weapons inventory of Moscow, Iran has emerged as a crucial supplier of military support to Russia.
The proposed factory is slated for an industrial warehouse in the Yelabuga region, located hundreds of miles east of Moscow.
According to John Kirby, the National Security Council spokesman, Iran will supply the materials required for building the drone factory, which may become operational next year. While the United States has been aware of these plans for quite some time, the Wall Street Journal reported it in February, and the White House released a satellite image of the intended site in April.
The New York Times scrutinized satellite images revealing a series of new constructions in the industrial zone developed since 2021. As per the White House’s declassified intelligence, the construction of the buildings began in January 2021, and a small structure was added recently.
The U.S. administration hopes to exert pressure on Iran by releasing this sensitive information about the drone factory, thus hindering its successful completion. Mr. Kirby mentioned that the United States would release an advisory to support companies worldwide in ensuring that their contributions do not indirectly benefit Iran’s drone program.
One of America’s critical strategies for aiding Ukraine is to prevent Russia from procuring advanced military equipment or rebuilding its dwindling stocks. Therefore, impeding trade between Iran and Russia is an essential element of this effort.
Presently, Russian ships carry drones from Amirabad, Iran, across the Caspian Sea to Makhachkala, Russia. The drones are then transported to two bases, one situated northeast of Ukraine and another to the east. These are used to attack targets in Ukraine. According to the White House, the arms trade between Russia and Iran goes both ways.
Mr. Kirby explained that Russia has been offering Iran immense defense collaboration, including missiles, electronics, and air defense. Moreover, Iran has completed its purchase of Su-35 fighter jets from Russia and is exploring buying attack helicopters, radars, and combat trainer aircraft as well.
Washington believes that the drone transactions violate resolutions passed by the United Nations Security Council. Consequently, it has imposed sanctions on Iranian companies involved in the design, construction, and transportation of these unmanned aircraft systems. Mr. Kirby referred to this collaboration between Russia and Iran as “a full-scale defense partnership that is harmful to Ukraine, Iran’s neighbors and the international community.”
