TERHRAN: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei lauded the reputation of military drones produced in his country and acknowledged concerns about their export.
“When images of Iranian drones were published a few years ago, they would say they’re photoshopped. Now they say Iranian drones are dangerous, why do you sell them or give them to so-and-so?” the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency cited Khamenei as telling academics on Wednesday.
His reported comments come after a person with knowledge of the matter told Bloomberg that the European Union proposed sanctioning three Iranian generals and one entity for providing drones and other military support to Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they aren’t authorized to comment.
Iran has faced international criticism over both its alleged involvement in the war and at home for its brutal crackdown on anti-regime protests that have gripped the country for the past month.
Earlier this week, the EU imposed human rights sanctions on the Islamic Republic for violence shown by security forces against demonstrations that were triggered by the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish-Iranian woman who was arrested for allegedly flouting strict dress codes.
Iran’s foreign ministry has repeatedly denied that any of the country’s weapons have been exported for use in the war, but officials in Kyiv have on several occasions identified what they say are Iranian-manufactured Shahed suicide drones. -Agencies
