2023-06-09 22:10:05
(CNN) — Strategic Communications Coordinator at the US National Security Council, John Kirby, said on Friday that the United States believes that a factory for the production of attack drones that Russia is building with Iran’s help may become fully operational by early next year.
US officials believe Iran is shipping equipment for the plant, as well as drones, to Russia across the Caspian Sea.
Moscow has bought hundreds of drones from Tehran since last summer, and is using them extensively in the war in Ukraine.
Kirby confirmed previous CNN reports that Iran uses the Caspian Sea to ferry drones, bullets and mortars to Russia, often using “dark” ships that have turned off their tracking data to mask their movements.
On Friday, the United States released a map showing the route Iran appears to be using to ship the equipment.
“Russia has been using Iranian drones in recent weeks to strike Kiev and terrorize the Ukrainian population, and the Russian-Iranian military partnership appears to be deepening,” Kirby said in a statement.
The United States also believes that Iran has been shipping materials that Russia is using to build its own drone factory inside Russia’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone, regarding 600 miles east of Moscow.
Washington released a satellite image taken on April 3 of the planned location of the drone manufacturing plant.
CNN asked the Russian embassy in Washington and the Iranian mission to the United Nations for comment.
“Support is flowing in both directions: from Iran to Russia, and from Russia to Iran,” Kirby said.
He added, “Russia has offered Iran unprecedented defense cooperation, including in the field of missiles, electronics and air defence.”
Kirby said the United States is releasing this information to the public to “expose and disrupt the comprehensive defense partnership between our two countries.” He also announced that the United States will release new advice on Friday to help companies and governments better understand how Iran illegally obtained the components needed to build its drones, and how They can “put measures in place to ensure that they do not inadvertently contribute to Iran’s drone programme.”
John Kirby said the United States “will continue to impose sanctions on the Iranians, the Russians, and the third countries involved in the purchase of the equipment.”
Earlier this year, Iran announced that it had concluded a deal to purchase Su-35 fighter jets from Russia.
Iran is seeking to buy additional military equipment from Russia, including attack helicopters, radars, and Yak-130 combat trainers.
In all, Tehran is seeking billions of dollars worth of military equipment from Moscow.
The United States has imposed severe export restrictions and sanctions to prevent Iran from obtaining materials needed for its drones, but evidence has emerged indicating that Iran finds an abundance of commercially available technology including components manufactured by American companies, CNN reported.
Last year, the Joe Biden administration formed an expanded task force to investigate how American and Western components, including American-made microelectronics, ended up in Iranian-made drones used in Russia.
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