Is Putin Influencing Iran’s Drone Tactics?

Questions about Russia’s role in the Middle East conflict are growing after UK officials suggested that Iran’s drone tactics may be influenced by Moscow.

The comments came after drones struck a Western military base in Erbil, Kurdistan Region, where international forces are stationed.

According to the UK’s defense secretary, Vladimir Putin’s “hidden hand” may be shaping some of the methods used by Iranian and allied drone operators. British military officials say Iranian pilots appear to be adopting tactics that Russia has used extensively in Ukraine, particularly in the deployment of Shahed drones.

Iran has launched more than 2,000 Shahed drones across the Middle East since the conflict escalated in late February, according to officials. Analysts say the drones are increasingly being flown at lower altitudes, making them harder for air defense systems to detect and intercept.

The developments highlight a broader pattern of military cooperation between Russia and Iran, which has expanded since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Tehran has supplied Moscow with Shahed drones that Russia later used in attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure.