(CNN) — The U.S. hopes the factory that Russia is developing with Iran’s help to produce attack drones will be fully operational by early next year, John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator for the U.S. National Security Council, said Friday. .
U.S. officials believe Iran is sending drones and equipment for the plant to Russia via the Caspian Sea.
Moscow has bought hundreds of drones from Tehran since last summer and is using them heavily in the war in Ukraine.
Kirby confirmed earlier CNN reports that Iran is using the Caspian Sea to transport drones, bullets and mortars to Russia.
On Friday, the United States released a map that Iran appears to be using to ship the equipment.
“Russia has been using Iranian drones to attack Kiev and terrorize the Ukrainian population in recent weeks, and the Russian-Iranian military partnership appears to be deepening,” Kirby said in a statement.
The U.S. also believes Iran is sending materials Russia uses to build its own drone factory inside Russia’s Alabuka special economic zone, about 600 miles east of Moscow.
Washington released a satellite image taken on April 3 of the planned location of the drone manufacturing plant.
CNN reached out to the Russian embassy in Washington and Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations for comment.
“Support flows in both directions: from Iran to Russia and from Russia to Iran,” Kirby said.
He also said that “Russia has provided unprecedented security cooperation to Iran in areas including missiles, electronics and air defense”.
Kirby said the US was releasing the information to “expose and undermine the comprehensive security partnership between our two countries”. obtained the components needed to build its drones, and how they “can take steps to ensure that they do not inadvertently contribute to Iran’s drone program.”
“The United States will continue to impose sanctions on the Iranians, Russians and third countries involved in the purchase of equipment,” said John Kirby.
Earlier this year, Iran announced it had finalized a deal to buy Su-35 fighter jets from Russia.
Iran is seeking to buy additional military equipment from Russia, including attack helicopters, radars, and Yak-130 fighter jets.
In total, Tehran seeks billions of dollars worth of military equipment from Moscow.
The U.S. has imposed strict export restrictions and sanctions to prevent Iran from obtaining materials for its drones, but evidence has emerged that Iran is finding plenty of commercially available technology, including components made by U.S. companies, CNN reported.
Last year, the Joe Biden administration created an expanded task force to investigate how American and Western components, including American-made microelectronics, ended up on Iranian-made drones used in Russia.
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