"Russia-Iran Agree on Production of Iran-Made Suicide Drones on Russian Mainland"

WP "Blueprints and Parts Transfer... Operation Within Months"
Ukrainian Civilians and Infrastructure Hit by 'War Crime Weapon'

A sunflower oil storage tank in Mykolaiv, southern Ukraine, is burning after being attacked by a Russian suicide drone. Ukrainian authorities suspect the suicide drone to be an Iranian-made Shahed-136. (Image source=Reuters Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The Washington Post (WP) reported on the 19th (local time) that Iran has agreed to cooperate with Russia in directly producing attack drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) to be used in Ukraine on Russian soil. These suicide drones supplied by Iran to Russia have been used to bomb civilian and critical infrastructure such as power grids in Ukraine, drawing condemnation as weapons of war crimes.

According to WP, Western security officials said Russia and Iran have agreed to transfer the necessary blueprints and key components and begin production within months. While Russia has previously modified Iranian drones at its mainland factories to resemble its own military supplies, it has never produced Iranian-designed drones entirely on its own from the ground up.

The details of the agreement were reportedly finalized at a meeting held in Iran this month. Multiple national security officials said defense industry negotiators also participated in the meeting. One official who was briefed on the agreement said, "The process from decision-making to execution is proceeding at a very rapid pace," evaluating Russia and Iran as showing a highly aggressive stance.

It is unclear what compensation Russia will provide to Iran, but there is speculation that requests for nuclear-related support may be involved. Russia has previously supplied Iran with reconnaissance satellites and key components for nuclear power plants.

If the agreement is fully implemented, officials predict that the security alliance between Russia and Iran will become even stronger. From Russia’s perspective, it will be able to stockpile weapons with considerable destructive power at relatively low cost through its own production lines.

Russia has recently focused on bombing Ukrainian infrastructure using cruise missiles and suicide drones as the pace of Ukraine’s counteroffensive to reclaim occupied territories has accelerated. Intelligence agencies from various countries estimate that Russia has deployed about 400 Iranian drones from August to recently.

Officials explained that Iran is expected to gain substantial economic and political benefits from this agreement. Iran, which has maintained a neutral stance in the Ukraine war, faced international condemnation after it was revealed that the drones Russia used against Ukraine were Iranian-made.

Governments of the United States, NATO member countries, Russia, and Iran did not respond to WP’s requests for confirmation. Adrienne Watson, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council (NSC), told WP, "Iran and Russia may lie to the international community, but they cannot hide the fact that Iran is helping Russia kill Ukrainian civilians through weapons supply." She added, "The United States is using all means to expose, prevent, and counter Iran’s weapons supply and will continue to provide key security support, including air defense systems, through Ukraine."

Mahdi Nourian, spokesperson for Iran’s UN delegation, explained that Iran and Russia "have continued cooperation in defense, science, and research fields even before the Ukraine conflict." He added, "Regarding claims that Iranian drones were used in the Ukraine conflict, Iran has requested the Ukrainian government to review this through expert meetings and believes this will help clarify misunderstandings on the issue."

It remains uncertain whether Russia can procure the electronic and optical systems necessary to operate an actual production factory. Both Iran and Russia are currently facing difficulties importing key foreign technologies under international sanctions. Notably, Iranian drones found on the Ukraine battlefield reportedly contained engine parts and electronic components from the United States, Germany, and China.