Iran has announced the integration of 1,000 new drones into its armed forces’ arsenal, amid rising tensions with the United States and the bellicose rhetoric of American President Donald Trump.
According to Tehran’s state news agencies, the unmanned aircraft were developed by army experts in collaboration with the Defense Ministry to respond to “emerging threats” and use lessons learned from last year’s 12-day war against Israel.
The drones, which are intended for use on both land and sea, are intended to have offensive, tactical and strategic capabilities and be able to attack stationary and moving targets on land, in the air and at sea. Images of the devices were not published for military security reasons.
Iranian Army Commander Amir Hatami stressed that increasing military strength aims to preserve and expand the country’s strategic advantages to enable quick and “decisive” responses to any external aggression. Hatami explained that this priority is consistent with Iran’s perceived future threats and expanding drone capabilities is part of this permanent defense strategy.
The announcement of the integration of the drones comes amid increasing rhetorical escalation between Tehran and Washington. Trump toughened his stance on Iran, declaring that an American naval group – which he described as a “massive armada” – was heading to the Middle East and that “time is running out” to reach a fair deal, but without mentioning the use of nuclear weapons. The President emphasized the US readiness to respond quickly and with strength if necessary.
In response to the American statements, Iranian officials reiterated that they would only engage in dialogue under conditions they consider respectful and balanced, and reiterated that they would firmly defend themselves against any pressure or attack. Tensions remain high between the two countries, with mutual threats and military moves increasing concerns about possible confrontations in the region.
Those: UOL | Photo: X @RT_com | This content was created using AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
Iran adds 1,000 new strategic drones to its military — IRIB
The drones are built for strike, reconnaissance & electronic warfare across land, sea and air
Officials say the move aims to enable a crushing response to any attack pic.twitter.com/8WPYjNUm2i
— RT (@RT_com) January 29, 2026
