Russia receiving material from Iran to build drone factory, says White House

White House national security spokesman John Kirby, on Friday, released a statement warning about a drone factory that Russia was working to establish "on its territory".

He said that the country was importing materials from Iran to build the factory and that it "could be fully operational early next year".

The White House released a satellite image of the location of the forthcoming plant in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone, which was based some 900 kilometres (560 miles) east of Moscow.

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"The Russia-Iran military partnership appears to be deepening," Kirby said in a statement, citing US intelligence information.

The White House said it would release a new government advisory to assist businesses and governments "to ensure they are not inadvertently contributing to Iran's (drone) programme".

According to Washington, Russia has received hundreds of attack drones and related equipment from Iran to aid Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

As per US data, Kirby said, the drones "are built in Iran, shipped across the Caspian Sea and then used operationally by Russian forces against Ukraine."

"Russia has been using Iranian UAVs in recent weeks to strike Kyiv and terrorise the Ukrainian population," he added, referring to unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones.

Washington issued the alert on what it feels are Moscow's efforts to create Iranian drones itself.

"We have information that Russia is receiving materials from Iran needed to build a UAV manufacturing plant inside Russia," Kirby said.

According to the White House, in turn, Iran is seeking to purchase Su-35 fighter jets, attack helicopters, radars, and YAK-130 combat trainer aircraft from Russia.

"We will continue to impose sanctions on the actors involved in the transfer of Iranian military equipment to Russia for use in Ukraine," AFP quoted Kirby as saying.

Iran has repeatedly denied the allegations made by the United States of sending military supplies to Russia during its war against Ukraine.

Iran, Russia expanding their defence partnership, says US

Earlier, the US said that Russia and Iran were "expanding their unprecedented defence partnership".

US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters that "we are using the tools at our disposal to expose and disrupt these activities and we are prepared to do more".

He told reporters, "Interactions between Iran and Russia in matters regarding the selling of advanced weapons, especially more advanced UAVs, are now continuing."

Kirby added that "this is a full-scale defence partnership that is harmful to Ukraine, to the region in the Middle East, and to the international community". He mentioned that further sanctions would soon be announced.

He said, "We are using the tools at our disposal to expose and disrupt these activities and we are prepared to do more. In the coming days, we will be announcing additional designations against those involved."

(With inputs from agencies)

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