U.S. and European officials have told The Associated Press that Russia is sending a shipment of drones to Iran including upgraded versions of the drone technology that Tehran originally supplied to Moscow after its invasion of Ukraine.
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NASA astronaut says his medical scare remains a mysteryA red fox stows away on a cargo ship, traveling from England to the USA Medicaid 'spend down' may get an older person long-term care coverage but isn't a DIY strategyAt Middle Creek, timing and distance shape a photo of migrating geeseThe World in PicturesUganda reintroduces rhinos into a protected area where they have been extinct since 1983Dietary supplement makers push the FDA to allow peptides and other new ingredientsAs demand for GLP-1 pills and shots surges, healthy habits are still keyAI is giving bad advice to flatter its users, says new study on dangers of overly agreeable chatbotsThe future of fish is looking a lot like meatTrump interrumpe reunión del gabinete sobre Irán y el aumento de precios para hablar de plumones | Ukrainian air defense intercepts a Shahed drone mid-air in the third Russia aerial attack on the capital in the last 24 hours in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 30, 2023. An apartment building is damaged during a massive Russian drone strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine, Saturday, June 10, 2023. This undated photograph released by the Ukrainian military’s Strategic Communications Directorate shows the wreckage of what Kyiv has described as an Iranian Shahed drone downed near Kupiansk, Ukraine. Parts of downed Shahed drones launched by Russia are piled in a storage room of a research laboratory in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Aug. 28, 2024. Ukrainian air defense intercepts a Shahed drone mid-air in the third Russia aerial attack on the capital in the last 24 hours in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 30, 2023. Ukrainian air defense intercepts a Shahed drone mid-air in the third Russia aerial attack on the capital in the last 24 hours in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 30, 2023. An apartment building is damaged during a massive Russian drone strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine, Saturday, June 10, 2023. An apartment building is damaged during a massive Russian drone strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine, Saturday, June 10, 2023. This undated photograph released by the Ukrainian military’s Strategic Communications Directorate shows the wreckage of what Kyiv has described as an Iranian Shahed drone downed near Kupiansk, Ukraine. This undated photograph released by the Ukrainian military’s Strategic Communications Directorate shows the wreckage of what Kyiv has described as an Iranian Shahed drone downed near Kupiansk, Ukraine. Parts of downed Shahed drones launched by Russia are piled in a storage room of a research laboratory in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Aug. 28, 2024. Parts of downed Shahed drones launched by Russia are piled in a storage room of a research laboratory in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Aug. 28, 2024. LONDON — Russia is sending a shipment of drones to Iran including upgraded versions of the drone technology that Tehran originally supplied to Moscow after its invasion of Ukraine, U.S. and European officials told The Associated Press this week. Iran has been firing drone barrages at Israel, its Gulf neighbors and U.S. bases across the Middle East for more than a month following. While Iran has its own stocks of Shahed drones, Russia has made improvements to the design during the war in Ukraine, including adding better navigation capabilities. Russian and Iranian officials have had “very active” discussions this month regarding transferring drones from Russia to Iran, the European intelligence official told AP. A U.S. defense official said it is unclear if the shipment is a one-time delivery or part of a series. Neither official could say how significant the delivery is or how many drones were sent. Another European official said a small number of drones would not have a major impact on the outcome of the war. All the officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.The U.S. defense official said Moscow’s motivation in giving Tehran more advanced drones is also unclear given that every munition sent to Tehran is one Russia is not able to launch at Ukraine.White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales told AP that “nothing provided to Iran by any other country is affecting our operational success.” She said the U.S. military has struck more than 10,000 targets and destroyed more than 140 Iranian naval vessels leading to Iran’s missile attacks and drone attacks decreasing by 90%. The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment. The European official said their intelligence suggests a drone shipment is on its way, but that they could not confirm exactly how the drones are being transported. Two convoys of trucks carrying what Russia has described as humanitarian aid have traveled to Iran from Russia via Azerbaijan and it’s possible they could contain drones, the European official said. The Russian Embassy in the Azerbaijani capital Baku said that seven trucks with 150 tons of food and other aid crossed to Astara in northern Iran on Friday while Russia’s Emergency Ministry said 313 tons of medicine also was delivered to Astara by rail, the Interfax news agency reported. A second European official said their country hasn’t been able to confirm Russian drone transfers to Iran, but said if drones are being transported by truck, their numbers are likely small and could be a largely symbolic gesture to maintain Moscow’s relations with Tehran. Moscow is helping Iran with targeting, the official added.The U.K.’s latest defense intelligence assessment says Russia almost certainly provided training and intelligence, including on types of drones and electronic warfare, with Iran ahead of the war in the Middle East. Iran is also sharing information with Russia “quite generously,” the European intelligence official said, adding that Russian officials knew that Ali Larijani —But Russia’s relationship with Iran has been rocky, the European official said, adding that Iranian officials felt “deeply disappointed” after Russia did not help Iran during its 2025 conflict with Israel which led to Trump ordering an attack onAsked on Thursday about reports in the Financial Times that Russia was supplying drones to Iran, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described them as “false news stories.”signed a $1.7 billion deal for Iran’s Shahed drone technology after President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022 and Moscow began using the Iranian imports in battle later that year. The Iranian drones were first shipped disassembled to Russia but a production line was later opened at the Alabuga plant in Russia’s central Tatarstan region. The plant has since rapidly expanded and recruited more workers includingthat are designed to overwhelm air defenses. They also have variously added jet engines, cameras, advanced anti-jammers, radio links, AI computing platforms or Starlink internet devices.The U.S. official said it is not clear which version or versions of the drone Moscow is shipping to Iran.on the front line after Ukraine asked Elon Musk’s SpaceX to help deny Russia use of the service in Ukraine. Russian forces consequently lost command-and-control capabilities and navigation for Starlink-capable drones. Moscow may be giving its Starlink-capable drones to Iran because it has become more difficult for Russian forces to use them in Ukraine, the U.S. official said. Or Moscow might be providing Iran with other Shahed variants that are jet-propelled, use AIMore advanced drones create problems for the U.S and its allies The delivery of advanced Russian drones to Iran could challenge the ability of the U.S. and its allies to intercept incoming drones, depending on how many Russian drones are sent or what Iran does with the more advanced Russian technology, the official said. AP Diplomatic Writer Matt Lee in Paris and White House correspondent Aamer Madhani in Washington D.C. contributed to this report.Trump signs executive order to pay TSA workers with other funds after House rejects funding bill
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