In a report on the rise of the Iranian regime as one of the global arms suppliers, The Wall Street Journal states that buyers of low-cost weapons with advanced technology view the Iranian government as a threat to the interests of the United States and its allies in the Middle East, Ukraine, and beyond.
According to the report, published on February 17, the transformation of Iran’s arms industry, which accelerated with the sale of thousands of drones to Russia in 2022 and altered the battlefield dynamics in Ukraine, aided the regime in supporting quasi-military groups in the Middle East. These groups have intensified their attacks concurrently with the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
The Wall Street Journal, citing U.S. officials, writes that one of Iran’s most significant arms exports is the suicide drones, exemplified by their use in the January 28 attack by an Iraqi paramilitary group that killed three American soldiers in Jordan.
On February 15, the United States announced that on the same day, the U.S. Coast Guard seized over 200 weapon shipments originating from Iran and destined for Yemen.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), responsible for military operations in the Middle East, stated that the seized cargo included missile components and guided underwater and surface unmanned vehicles.
A report from the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, published earlier this month, revealed that models from the same family of drones used to kill American soldiers in Jordan were employed in various fronts, including by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, Iraqi paramilitary groups targeting Israel, and by Russia in the war against Ukraine.
Mehdi Farahi, Deputy Minister of Defense for the Iranian regime, stated in November of last year that Tehran had sold approximately one billion dollars’ worth of weapons in 2022, triple the figure from the previous year.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, a calculation excluding arms trafficking statistics indicates that in 2022, Iran became the sixteenth largest arms seller globally with $123 million in exports. This marks a significant leap compared to 2017 when Iran was the thirty-third largest arms exporter with $20 million worth of sales.
The Wall Street Journal previously reported, citing U.S. officials, that Russia is planning to purchase short-range ballistic missiles from the Iranian regime, and Iran has also sent ammunition to Russia.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which controls the defense industry, provides free weapons to its allies in the Middle East, including Hamas and Hezbollah in Lebanon, to support their activities.
Iran’s representative to the United Nations stated on Monday, February 12, to the Wall Street Journal, “We assist Palestinians in achieving military capability to resist independently against attacks.” The statement added, “Based on international laws and UN Security Council resolutions, Iran faces no restrictions or prohibitions on buying and selling weapons.”
The trade restrictions on Iran’s arms were lifted last year by the United Nations, but the United States and the European Union continue to enforce these restrictions.
Iranian suicide drones gained international recognition in 2019 when one of its paramilitary groups conducted a missile and drone attack on Saudi oil facilities.
The production of drones increased after the sale of more than 2,000 Shahed drones to Russia in 2022. According to Iranian officials, with a price of around $20,000 each, the Iranian government received a minimum of $40 million.
The Wall Street Journal had previously reported on another agreement between Moscow and Tehran to establish a factory for producing around 6,000 drones in Russia as part of a billion-dollar arms deal between the two countries.
A few days after the drone attack on January 28 against U.S. forces in Jordan, President Joe Biden blamed Iran, stating that Iran was responsible for supplying these drones.
A few days later, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed new sanctions against companies supplying components and parts for drones and missiles to Iran.
The growth of the arms industry has been a major source of income for the Iranian regime, which has been isolated due to sanctions and restrictions on oil sales and banking transactions.
