Iran arms itself with 1,000 new drones as Washington steps up its military buildup

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Mutual American and Iranian military deployments are intensifying at a time when the region is experiencing growing tensions.

On Thursday, the Iranian army announced that it had equipped its forces with one thousand drones of various types.

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The Iranian news agency Tasnim reported that the design of these drones is adapted to modern threats and to the lessons learned from the “twelve-day war” fought by Iran against Israel last June.

It added that the drones were manufactured by army experts in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense. They are classified into several categories: destructive, offensive, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare drones. They are designed to destroy specific fixed and mobile targets at sea, in the air, and on land.

The commander-in-chief of the Iranian army, Amir Hatami, stated, after issuing orders to integrate land- and sea-based drones, that “in light of the coming threats, preserving and developing strategic advantages in order to enable rapid combat and a decisive response to any attack or aggressor remains a constant priority of the army’s mission”.

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American reinforcements

At the same time, the number of US naval vessels deployed in the region has risen to ten, following the arrival of a new aircraft carrier strike group. This deployment places major military capabilities at the disposal of President Donald Trump should he decide to launch a strike against Iran.

The number of ships deployed by the United States in the Middle East is now approaching the level of forces Washington positioned in the Caribbean prior to the swift military operation carried out by US special forces, which resulted in the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month.

On Wednesday, a US official said that the total number of American ships deployed in the Middle East had reached ten, including the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, which comprises three destroyers and F-35C stealth fighter jets.

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Six other US warships are also operating in the region, including three destroyers and three littoral combat ships.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated that “a large fleet is heading toward Iran”, adding that “as in Venezuela, the fleet is ready, available, and capable of carrying out its mission swiftly and decisively if necessary”.

The US president urged Iran to accelerate its steps toward reaching an agreement on its nuclear program, warning that “time is running out”, and threatening that any American attack would be “far worse” for Tehran this time.

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For his part, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that his country would respond forcefully to any US military operation, while not ruling out the possibility of reaching a new agreement on Iran’s nuclear program.

Writing on the X platform, Araghchi said: “Our brave armed forces are ready, with their fingers on the trigger, to respond immediately and powerfully to any aggression from land, sea, or air”.

He added: “At the same time, Iran has always welcomed a mutually beneficial, fair, and equitable nuclear agreement, on an equal footing and without coercion, threats, or intimidation, one that guarantees Iran’s rights to peaceful nuclear technology and ensures the absence of nuclear weapons.”

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