U.S. and European officials say Russia has sent a shipment of upgraded Shahed-style drones to Iran, possibly including variants refined in the Ukraine war. The size and exact models are unclear, and intelligence points to convoys through Azerbaijan to Astara as a possible route. Officials warn advanced variants — such as jet-propelled, AI-capable, or Starlink-enabled drones — could make interception in the Middle East more difficult, though the overall operational impact remains uncertain.
Russia Sent Upgraded Shahed Drones To Iran, Officials Warn — Could Complicate Middle East Air Defenses
FILE - 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. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
U.S. and European officials told The Associated Press this week that Russia has dispatched a shipment of drones to Iran that may include upgraded Shahed-style unmanned aerial vehicles originally provided by Tehran after Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Officials say the shipment could contain variants Russia has modified on the battlefield, though key details remain uncertain.
What officials say: One European intelligence official described Moscow and Tehran as having had “very active” discussions about transferring drones this month. A U.S. defense official told AP it is unclear whether the delivery is a one-off or part of a series, and neither official could confirm the shipment’s size, exact variants, or how the drones are being transported. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the matter is sensitive.
FILE - An apartment building is damaged during a massive Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine, Saturday, June 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Nina Lyashonok, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Routes and logistics: Intelligence sources indicate a shipment may be en route and that two Russian truck convoys labeled as humanitarian aid have traveled to Iran via Azerbaijan. The Russian Embassy in Baku said seven trucks carrying 150 tons of food and other aid crossed into Astara, while Russia’s Emergency Ministry reported 313 tons of medicine were sent to Astara by rail. European officials say those convoys could conceivably contain drones, but they cannot confirm that at present.
Technology and modifications: After a $1.7 billion technology deal following the 2022 invasion, Russia and Iran deepened drone cooperation. Iranian Shahed drones were initially shipped disassembled to Russia and later assembled at a production line in Alabuga, Tatarstan. Russian engineers have reportedly refined the Shahed design to produce decoys without explosives to saturate air defenses and developed variants with jet engines, improved navigation, enhanced anti-jamming systems, radio links, AI piloting modules, onboard cameras, and Starlink-capable connectivity.
FILE - 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. (Ukrainian military's Strategic Communications Directorate via AP, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Debris recovered in Ukraine has also suggested tighter technical exchanges between the two countries, including advanced anti-jamming systems and jet-propelled engines used in some cruise missiles. A U.S. official said it remains unclear which specific variants might be moving from Russia to Iran.
Operational impact and statements: White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales told AP, “nothing provided to Iran by any other country is affecting our operational success.” She added that U.S. forces have struck more than 10,000 targets and destroyed over 140 Iranian naval vessels, and that Iran’s missile and drone attacks have fallen by roughly 90% since those operations. The Pentagon did not comment for this report.
FILE - 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. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
U.S. and European officials warn that if Iran receives more advanced variants — particularly jet-propelled or AI-capable models or drones with improved anti-jamming or Starlink connectivity — intercepting incoming drones in the region could become more difficult. Jet-propelled drones travel faster and are harder for existing short-range counter-drone systems to neutralize without using limited stocks of expensive interceptors.
Diplomatic context and denials: Relations between Moscow and Tehran have been cooperative but occasionally rocky. European sources noted Iranian disappointment when Russia did not offer expected support during Iran’s 2025 confrontation with Israel. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed recent media reports that Russia was supplying drones to Iran as “false news stories.”
Uncertainties and implications: Officials emphasize major unknowns — the number of drones, the precise variants, and whether shipments are symbolic or operationally meaningful. Some European analysts say a small delivery would be unlikely to change the course of the Ukraine war, while others warn advanced transfers could complicate air-defense efforts in the Middle East depending on how Iran integrates the technologies.
Reporting for this story includes contributions from AP diplomatic writer Matt Lee in Paris and White House correspondent Aamer Madhani in Washington, D.C.
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