Iranian military says US, Israel using copycat drones to frame Tehran for regional attacks

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters has accused the US and Israel of using a replica of the Iranian Shahed drone, the Lucas drone, for regional attacks and attributing these to Iranian forces.

“Examples of this are the vicious attacks on centres in neighbouring and friendly countries such as Turkiye, Kuwait, and Iraq in recent days, and their attribution to the Iranian armed forces,” the command said in a statement carried by the IRIB broadcaster.

The statement said the aim of this strategy was to undermine “the defensive, legal, and legitimate actions” of the Iranian military and “create discord and division” between Tehran and its neighbours.

The command reiterated that Iran “only attacks the targets, centres, and interests” of the US and Israel and said it “will take responsibility for any place it targets by issuing an official announcement”.