Iran unveils armed drone resembling America's MQ-9 Reaper and says it could potentially reach Israel
Iran's Defence Ministry unveiled a drone on Tuesday resembling America's armed MQ-9 Reaper, claiming that the aircraft is capable of staying airborne for 24 hours and has the range to reach the country's archenemy Israel. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency published a photograph of the drone, called the Mohajer-10, on display at a conference marking Defence Industry Day with what appeared to be smoke-machine fog underneath it.
«Mohajer» means «immigrant» in Farsi and has been a drone line manufactured by the Islamic Republic since 1985.
IRNA said the drone is able to fly up to 24,000 feet with a speed of 210 kph (130 mph), carrying a bomb payload of up to 300 kilograms (660 pounds).
It also said the drone could carry electronic surveillance equipment and a camera. Iran's hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi, a protege of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also viewed the drone on Tuesday.
«Today, we can firmly introduce Iran as an advanced and technologic nation to the world,» Raisi said in comments aired on state television.
He reiterated Iran's stance about friendly relations with «all countries in the world,» adding that Iran's armed forces will cut off any hand that will reaches out in an attempt to invade Iran, state TV reported.
The Associated Press could not immediately verify the claims about the drone's capabilities, though an arm of state television shared a video of it taking off from a runway.
