US says Iran is helping Russia build drone manufacturing facility

The United States has accused the Iranian government of helping Russia to build a drone manufacturing plant near Moscow, in an escalation of their defence cooperation. In a statement on Friday, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby cited US intelligence findings that indicated Iran had provided material support for the plant, which could be operational by early next year. US officials also double-downed on claims that Iran has sent hundreds of drones -- or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) -- to Russia for use in Ukraine, where a full-scale invasion was launched in 2022. "Russia has been using Iranian UAVs in recent weeks to strike Kyiv and terrorize the Ukrainian population, and the Russia-Iran military partnership appears to be deepening," Kirby said in Friday's statement. "We are also concerned that Russia is working with Iran to produce Iranian UAVs from inside Russia."