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Tehran ready to export UAVs to friendly countries — military official

Iran has already prepared the armaments and equipment for export to friendly countries, commander of the Iranian Army's Ground Forces Brigadier General Kioumars Heydari said

BEIJING, July 20. /TASS/. Iran is ready to export advanced armaments, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), to friendly states, commander of the Iranian Army's Ground Forces Brigadier General Kioumars Heydari said on Tuesday.

"Iran’s armed forces possess the production technologies of advanced drones, these devices can be used at large distances as well as for reconnaissance and delivering strikes abroad. Iran has already prepared the armaments and equipment for export to friendly countries," China Central Television quoted him as saying.

On July 11, US Presidential National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan claimed that Iran was planning to hand over to Russia up to several hundreds of the unmanned aerial vehicles, including those capable of carrying armaments. Additionally, according to his information, Iran was planning to train Russian forces to use these drones with the first stages of training beginning as early as July. Sullivan did not provide any proof for his assertions.

In an interview with La Repubblica newspaper published on July 13, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian did not confirm the sale of military equipment to Russia, including unmanned aerial vehicles, assuring that Tehran avoids any steps that may result in an escalation in Ukraine.

On the same day, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the subject of the UAVs sale won’t be discussed during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Tehran in July and refused to comment on this issue.

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