(Bloomberg) —
Satellite images show a Russian delegation visiting Iran to view unmanned weapons-capable drones that could be purchased for use in the war in Ukraine, a senior US official said Saturday.
The disclosure by the US is intended to bolster the assertion by US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan — made without details of the underlying intelligence — that Russia was seeking to purchase hundreds of unmanned aerial vehicles to help its campaign in Ukraine.
The US disclosure comes as President Joe Biden is meeting Saturday with Gulf leaders in Saudi Arabia, asking them to both strengthen regional cooperation to counter Iran and increase support for Ukraine.
The US said earlier in the week that the potential purchase was a sign of the toll Ukrainian fighters had taken defending their country from Russia’s invasion.
The June visit to see the drone showcase is, to the knowledge of US intelligence, the first time a Russian delegation had visited Kashan Airfield south of Tehran for such a showcase, the official said.
The satellite imagery was first reported by CNN.
Iranians demonstrated to the Russians the capabilities of their Shahed-191 and Shahed-129 drones, capable of carrying precision-guided missiles, officials told the network.
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