Iran using commercial airliners to ship drones to Russia

The Islamic Republic of Iran is no friend to world peace. As a state sponsor of terror, it’s not all that surprising to learn Iran is back to using commercial airliners to ship weapons.

This week, Britain’s i News reported Iran is using four commercial airliners to deliver hundreds of Shahed loitering munitions, also known as kamikaze drones, to Russia. Russian fighters are using the drones to deal massive damage to Ukrainian infrastructure, crippling the country’s water and power supplies.

According to i news, Iran has been sending two flights per week to Russia since the start of the war. That amounts to 70 flights so far. Forbes reported the planes have been spotted at military facilities in Russian airports. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is organizing the flights. 450 drones were delivered so far with a thousand more on the way.

Now, there are fears the Iranians could use the four 747s to deliver short-range ballistic missiles as well. It would mark a dramatic escalation in Iran’s role in the war, and it coincides with increased Iranian hostility in the Middle East.

An oil tanker associated with an Israeli billionaire was struck by an Iranian kamikaze drone this week off the coast of Oman. It happened Tuesday night aboard the Liberian-flagged Pacific Zircon. No one was hurt and there was little damage, but the price of crude oil did go up a bit.

Iran didn’t claim responsibility for the attack, but suspicion immediately fell on the country after years of similar attacks.

“It is an Iranian attack, there is a consensus on this in the Israeli intelligence and defense community,” one official told the Associated Press.

In what could be the understatement of the year, French President Emmanuel Macron said Iran is “destabilizing the region with aggressive actions.” Responding to reports of Iran detaining French citizens, Macron said he urged “Iran to return to calm and a spirit of cooperation.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.