Iran unveils drone resembling Reaper in US arsenal

Iran unveiled a drone Tuesday resembling the U.S. armed MQ-9 Reaper, with claims that it can fly nonstop for 24 hours and can reach Israel. 

A video posted to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency shows the unmanned aerial vehicle, called Mohajer-10, with smoke-machine fog coming from the bottom at a ceremony Tuesday for Defense Industry Day.

President Ebrahim Raisi oversaw the unveiling for the drone, which IRNA said has an operational range of 1,240 miles (the distance from Jerusalem to Tehran is about 1,000 miles).

IRNA reported the drone can fly at a maximum speed of 210 kilometers per hour and carry different types of ammunition and bombs. The agency said the drone includes electronic warfare and intelligence-gathering systems.

The Islamic Republic has manufactured the Mohajer drone line, which means “immigrant” in Farsi, since 1985. 

“Today, we can firmly introduce Iran as an advanced and technologic nation to the world,” Iran’s Raisi said in comments aired on state television, according to The Associated Press (AP). 

Raisi reportedly emphasized Iran’s position about friendly relations with the “entire world countries,” though adding Iran’s Armed Forces will cut off the hands of those who attack Iran, according to PressTV, an Iranian state-owned news network.

While Iran has captured U.S. drones or pieces of them in the past, AP reported there is no indication the country obtained a General Atomics Reaper, which is flown by the U.S. Air Force and U.S.-allied nations.

The Reaper is able to work at high altitudes for long hours and follow a target. It was reportedly used in the 2020 killing of Qasem Soleimani, Iran’s top general at the time. 

IRNA said separately Tuesday that Raisi ordered the delivery of two other types of missiles to the Iranian armed forces and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Aerospace Force, including one named after Soleimani.