(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — Despite claims by Israel and the United States that they have successfully intercepted most of the suicide drones launched by Iran recently, this is unlikely to diminish the international interest in Iranian-manufactured drones.
Many countries contemplating the acquisition of these drones do not face sophisticated air defense systems like those operated by Israel and the US, such as the Iron Dome.
For these nations, Iranian drones are highly effective against their adversaries.
Samuel Bendett, an expert on artificial intelligence and unmanned systems at a think tank in Washington, noted that Israel’s recent success in countering Iranian drone attacks has not deterred Iran’s drone sales.
Countries seeking military and political policies independent of US influence continue to purchase Iranian drones.
The use of these drones in conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East has significantly boosted interest, with several nations reportedly eager to initiate negotiations with Tehran.
Data from the Institute of Peace in the United States indicates that besides proxy groups like Hezbollah in Iraq and Syria, Tehran has exported its drones to at least seven other countries, including Tajikistan and Venezuela.
Reuters has also reported their use in the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
Potential targets for future Iranian drone exports include Bolivia and Belarus, but there is also an expectation of increased use of these drones in Africa and South America, according to analysts.
Currently, Iranian drones are operational across four continents—Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America.
Months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a senior Iranian official reported that 22 countries had shown interest in acquiring these drones.
In February, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that over 50 countries were negotiating with Iran about its guided missiles and suicide drones, as well as ISR drones produced by its defense industry.
Users of Iranian drones are countries that do not have issues with Iran politically and that also lack the funds to acquire the more expensive Western-made drones.
Media reports from Iran indicate that drones from the Shahed family have been of interest for several years due to their usage in various conflicts, particularly by Russia in Ukraine.
Besides the Shahed-136 suicide drones, the Russian military also uses the Mohajer drones for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations.
In February, Russia reportedly agreed to spend US$1.75 billion to produce about 6,000 Shahed-136 drones for use by its military to target locations in Ukraine, according to a report by Militirnaryi.
The agreement with Iran included developing a facility within Russia to manufacture these drones over a 2.5-year period following the deal with Tehran.
Iranian drones such as the Shahed-131 and Shahed-136 have been used by the Russian military to target a variety of objectives in Ukraine, including buildings and public infrastructure like power stations and oil storage facilities.
US officials have noted that Iran’s drone system capabilities have advanced since 2014, starting with their use by the Tehran-backed Houthi militants in attacks on oil and gas facilities owned by Saudi Aramco, to targeting commercial ships in the Persian Gulf, and now in the battlefield in Ukraine.
Previous media reports indicated that Iran assisted Russia by supplying crucial equipment and components for the production of the Shahed drones, enabling rapid establishment of a manufacturing facility in Yelabuga, Tatarstan, which is located east of Moscow.
Reports about Russian and Iranian plans to establish a manufacturing facility for Shahed drones in the country first emerged in December 2022.
The United States has stated that Iran sent components and equipment necessary for building the drone manufacturing “factory.”
Recently, the Iranian Ministry of Defense announced that the country’s weapon exports had increased by 40 percent over an 11-month period.
Tasnim, a state news agency, quoted ministry spokesman Reza Talaei-Nik, who noted the increase in both quantity and quality of the exports, although he did not specify the types of weapons exported. — DSA