Iranian general says 22 countries looking to buy Iran-made drones

A top Iranian military general has said that 22 countries are looking to purchase the country's drones, in a speech boasting of the country's advances in producing unmanned military aircraft on Tuesday.

Speaking at the Imam Hussein Military University in Tehran, Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi said that Iran has developed drones that are "effective and [a] deterrent", the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

“Today we have reached a point that 22 world countries are demanding to purchase unmanned aircraft from Iran," Safavi said.

Safavi, who is also an adviser to Supreme Leader Aytaollah Ali Khamenei, also hailed the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Ground Force's recent strikes on Kurdish groups in Iraqi Kurdistan, which were assisted by drones.

Kurdish groups have accused Tehran of scapegoating them amid recent unrest in Iran.

Safavi's remarks come amid increased Western scrutiny of Iran's drones, which have been deployed by Russia in Ukraine.

On Monday, the United States warned that it would take action against companies and nations working with Iran's drone programme.

State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters that Washington believes that Iran's shipment of the drones violated UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which blessed a now moribund 2015 nuclear deal.

The European Commission also announced on Monday that it would be investigating Russia's use of Iranian drones.