Tehran seeking advanced Russian-made versions of its own Shahed drones, report says.
Sep 14, 2026, 8:27 AM (GMT+3)
UAV (illustrative)iStock
Iran has asked Russia to supply it with advanced Gran drones for use in its war against Israel and the United States, the Financial Times reported.
According to the report, the request comes amid significant improvements in Russia’s drone capabilities. The Gran drones are upgraded versions of the Iranian-designed Shahed drones, which Russia began producing domestically in 2023.
New Gran-4 and Gran-5 models have been striking urban targets in Ukraine in recent weeks, presenting an unprecedented challenge to local air defense forces.
The improvements extend beyond flight speed and the drones’ external design: Unlike earlier models in the Gran series, which relied on relatively simple guidance systems, the modern versions are equipped with thermal imaging capabilities, AI-based target acquisition systems, and Russian-made antennas designed to withstand navigation jamming.
Russia’s ability to centralize production has allowed Moscow to continuously upgrade the drones, immediately implement lessons learned from the fighting in Ukraine, and introduce new models into operational service within relatively short periods of time.
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