Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Monday, Aug 04, 2025

First of ‘hundreds’ of Iranian drones arrives in Russia

First of ‘hundreds’ of Iranian drones arrives in Russia

A deepening security relationship between Moscow and Tehran concerns Pentagon officials.
The first shipment of what U.S. officials assess will be hundreds of Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles has arrived in Russia, according to a Pentagon spokesperson.

The U.S. confirms that Russia has received two types of drones from Iran, the Mohajer-6 and Shahed-series, Defense Department spokesperson Todd Breasseale told POLITICO, corroborating earlier reports. The drones can be used to conduct strikes, electronic warfare and targeting, he noted.

This initial tranche is likely part of Moscow’s plans to import “hundreds” of Iranian drones of various types, which Russia intends to use on the battlefield in Ukraine, Breasseale said.

However, Breasseale noted that information indicates the drones in the initial transfer have already experienced a number of failures.

He also noted that Russian forces in Ukraine are suffering from supply shortages, in part because of sanctions and export controls. This is forcing Russia to depend on “unreliable nations like Iran” to fill their needs.

“Russia deepening their alliance with Iran is something that the whole world — and especially those in the region — should watch and see as a profound threat,” Breasseale said. “We will vigorously enforce all U.S. sanctions on both the Russian and Iranian arms trade and we will stand with our allies and partners throughout the region against the Iranian threat.”

Top U.S. officials have warned for weeks about Russian cooperation with Iran. National security adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN in July that the U.S. had information indicating Iran was “preparing to provide Russia with several hundred UAVs, including weapons capable UAVs” for use on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Russian operators have been undergoing training in Iran for weeks as part of the agreement for UAV transfers, according to a spokesperson for the National Security Council, who asked to remain anonymous to discuss a sensitive matter.

Beyond the drone transfers, the U.S. has seen recent reports that Russia launched a satellite with “significant spying capabilities” on Iran’s behalf, the spokesperson said.

“This demonstrates that as Russia endures costs on the battlefield in Ukraine, it is experiencing difficulties in sustaining its own weapons, as it looks to countries like Iran for capabilities to sustain its forces,” according to the spokesperson.

“It also makes the case for U.S. engagement in the region so we don’t leave a vacuum for China or Russia,” the spokesperson added.

The news that the first Iranian drones have arrived in Russia comes as Iran-backed militant groups continue to foment violence against American forces in the Middle East. President Joe Biden ordered airstrikes last week against infrastructure facilities used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Syria, prompting a series of back-and-forth attacks between U.S. and Iran-backed forces there.

The Biden administration is looking to strike a tricky balance in dealings with Tehran, as negotiators make progress toward reviving the 2015 nuclear agreement after more than a year of talks.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Qatar Airways Clears Backlog of Passengers Following Missile Threats
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
×