Tehran adds 1,000 drones to arsenal amid tensions with US and Israel

Iran’s military on Monday said it had added 1,000 “strategic drones” to its fleet amid tensions with the US and Israel.

Videos broadcast on state TV showed various drones in an unknown location. Iranian Defence Minister General Aziz Nasirzadeh and the commander-in-chief of Iran’s army, General Abdul Rahim Mousavi, were in attendance to review the UAVs.

The development comes amid growing concerns over a possible attack against Iran’s nuclear sites.

According to news agency Tasnim, associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, the drones were delivered to various locations throughout the country and have high stealth and anti-fortification abilities.

The drones’ range is said to be over 2,000 kilometres. They have high destructive power and can pass through defence layers with low radar cross-sections.

They can also fly on their own, which increases the range of reconnaissance and assists in border monitoring, according to the report. “The autonomous features also boost the combat capability of the drones,” the news agency added.

In recent days, Iran performed air defence drills near its key nuclear facilities, Natanz and Fordo.