Over the past decade, Iran’s regime has significantly increased its export of drones to proxies across the Middle East.
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have emerged as a pivotal element in Iran regime’s policies, empowering its proxies to conduct attacks with increasing precision and lethality.
A decade ago, the drone threat may not have been considered a major concern, but today it commands serious attention across the region.
Nevertheless, Iran’s regime persists in enhancing the precision and deadly effectiveness of its drone arsenal, as demonstrated by the recent attack on US forces in Jordan that resulted in three casualties and numerous injuries.
The broader panorama reveals a looming danger, where the Iran regime’s drones pose a threat to entire countries in the Middle East, extending thousands of miles beyond the established front lines designed to secure the regime’s dominance.
Iran regime’s proxies now operate as terrorist armies equipped with drones, expanding the scope of their potential threats.
Hezbollah boasts thousands of drones, while Iranian-backed militias in Syria have utilized drones since at least 2017, stationed primarily at the T-4 base near Palmyra.
In January 2021, Iran regime supplied the Houthis in Yemen with the Shahed 136 drone, later observed in use by Russia against Ukraine a year later.
Iraqi-based militias linked to Iran’s regime increasingly deploy drones against US forces and Kurdish dissidents, finding them more effective than traditional rockets.
Recent drone attacks targeted US forces in Tanf, Syria, near the Jordanian border and in Jordan, with Iraqi-based groups aligned with Iran’s regime claiming responsibility.
Iran’s regime is actively seeking to advance its drone capabilities, having had nearly a decade to deploy them throughout the region.
Iranian-backed militias are progressively relying on drones as their weapon of choice, evident in their usage by the Houthis, Hezbollah, and in Iraq and Syria.
In late December 2023, Iran’s regime bolstered its air defense capabilities by integrating combat drones armed with air-to-air missiles into its arsenal.
This development, reported by the official IRNA news agency, has raised concerns among many countries.
In February 2023, it was revealed that Iran’s regime is exploring new markets for its drones globally, with 22 countries, including Armenia, Tajikistan, Serbia, Algeria, and Venezuela, expressing interest.
Capitalizing on geopolitical conditions, Iran’s regime has particularly targeted the Balkans and sought to strengthen ties with Serbia.
Notably, Iran’s drone supply to the Polisario Front and Algeria raised concerns about stability in North Africa.
Bolivia’s interest in acquiring Iranian drones was confirmed in July 2023, emphasizing Iran’s global expansion in drone technology.
Iran’s regime has transformed from a ‘local supplier’ serving proxies in the Middle East into a ‘multinational corporation,’ exporting advanced weapons globally.
From Eastern Europe (Belarus) to South America (Venezuela), Iran’s regime delivers UAVs with a range of up to 1,000 kilometers.
Furthermore, the construction of drone production facilities in allied countries has gained momentum, with Tajikistan, Venezuela, and Syria reportedly housing such facilities, and plans for another in Russia.
Examining Iran regime’s influence and its drone program reveals two significant factors. First, Tehran seeks to alleviate sanctions and position itself as a leading drone supplier, generating foreign currency and fostering internal economic stability.
Second, by supplying and testing drones abroad, Tehran can potentially extend its proxy warfare capabilities beyond the Middle East, acting as a destabilizing tool on a global scale.
