Iran has unveiled its latest domestically built drone that can fly at a higher altitude and for a longer duration with enhanced weapons capabilities.
The "Mohajer-10" drone was introduced on Tuesday at a ceremony in Tehran attended by President Ebrahim Raisi, celebrating the achievements of Iran's defence industry.
“Today, we can firmly introduce Iran as an advanced and technologic nation to the world,” Raisi said in comments aired on state television.
The new drone is an upgraded version of the "Mohajer-6", which US officials have accused Iran of selling to Russia for use in the Ukraine war - an accusation Tehran denies.
Enhanced flight duration, altitude
The new drone "can fly up to a maximum duration of 24 hours at an altitude of 7,000 metres (23,000 feet) and with an operational range of 2,000 kilometres (1,242 miles)," the official IRNA news agency reported.
It can travel at speeds of up to 210 kilometres per hour (130 miles per hour) and is equipped with updated electronic and intelligence systems.
The unmanned aerial vehicle has a payload of up to 300 kilogrammes (660 pounds) of cargo, double that of the previous model, allowing it to carry "all kinds of bombs and ammunitions", IRNA said.
Western governments have in recent months expanded biting sanctions on Iran over the alleged arms sales.
The United States and Israel have previously accused Tehran of using drones and missiles to attack US forces and Israel-linked ships in the Gulf.
