Biden Admin. Issues Advisory To Thwart Iranian Drone Program, Defense Ties With Russia

US Departments of Justice, Commerce, State, and Treasury on Friday issued a joint advisory in a bid to hinder the Iranian drone program and thwart the strengthening defense ties between Moscow and Tehran amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th June, 2023) The US Departments of Justice, Commerce, State, and Treasury on Friday issued a joint advisory in a bid to hinder the Iranian drone program and thwart the strengthening defense ties between Moscow and Tehran amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

"The Departments of Justice, Commerce, State, and Treasury today issued an advisory to alert the international community, private sector, and public to the threat posed by Iran's procurement, development, and proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)," the Justice Department said in a press release.

The drones, which Iran has allegedly transferred to Russia since late August 2022 for use in Ukraine, led the United States to conclude that Tehran is dependent on foreign procurement to obtain UAV parts that it cannot produce domestically and uses commercial grade components in its weapons, according to the advisory.

Besides the advisory, the White House on Friday released new intelligence claiming that Iran is aiding Russia in building a new drone factory east of Moscow in the Alabuga special economic zone, which is expected to become operational early next year, and support Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, multiple media reports said.

Also on Friday, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council John Kirby said that Iran allegedly continues to supply Russia with kamikaze drones that are shipped via the Caspian Sea, from Amirabad in Iran to Makhachkala, Russia, and eventually find their way to the battlefield in Ukraine, according to the reports.

Iran has been manufacturing UAVs since the 1980s, but the issue became a subject of public focus last year after Western countries accused Tehran of supplying combat drones to Moscow for alleged use in Russia's special operation in Ukraine. Moscow and Tehran have rejected the allegations. Despite this fact, in February 2023, the European Union introduced sanctions against "individuals in Iran who are involved in the elaboration of drones and components supporting Russia's military." The bloc also mulled including Iran's drone operators in the sanctions list.