Iran denies reports on joint drone factory with Russia
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani on Tuesday denied the rumors that Tehran is jointly working with Moscow to build a factory for the production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Kanaani called the reports "completely untrue," remarking that "the countries that are the largest suppliers of weapons and equipment to one of the parties in the [Ukrainian] conflict, are trying to mislead world public opinion by spreading fake news." According to the local media, the spokesman was replying to a Wall Street Journal article that stated that the planned factory would have been able to produce 6,000 Iran-designed drones of the type Moscow used in the Ukrainian war.
Last week, the United States sanctioned more individuals tied to an Iranian firm that produces UAVs, saying the weapons are being employed by Russia in Ukraine.