Iran is getting ready to supply
weapons-carrying drones to Russia for use in the Ukraine war, according to newly-declassified
US intelligence. White House officials, who spoke to CNN, say Iran is preparing
to train Russian forces on how to use these drones by late July.

United States’ National Security
Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan said, “Information indicates that the Iranian
government is preparing to provide Russia with up to several hundred (unmanned
aerial vehicles), including weapons capable UAVs on an expedited timeline,”
speaking to reporters at a White House press briefing.

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Sullivan further said that the fact
that Russia is bringing in weapons from Iran indicates that Moscow’s own weapons
arsenal has been depleted. News of Iran supplying weapons-carrying drones to
Russia comes the same week United States’ President Joe Biden is visiting
Israel and Saudi Arabia. During Biden’s visit, Iran’s nuclear weapons programme
is expected to be a main subject of discussion.

Many of US’ Middle East allies
will be vying for a viable plan to constrain Iran. Hopes for reviving the 2015
nuclear deal have faded following stalled conversations in Qatar’s Doha. The
drones Iran will be supplying to Russia are of the same grade that Iran sent to
Houthi rebels of Yemen to attack Saudi Arabia before an early 2022 ceasefire.

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Drones have become a critical
part of warfare in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Both sides have liberally used
drones. While Russia used its own Orlan-10 drones for both electronic warfare
and reconnaissance, Ukraine’s military used Turkish-build Bayraktar UAVs to
destroy Russian tanks and surface-to-air missiles.

In the five months since the Russia-Ukraine
war broke out, the number of drones on either side have been dwindling as many
have been shot down or have crashed. While the United States has provided with
Kamikaze drones, Lithuania and Poland have started crowdfunding campaigns to
provide drones to Ukraine.