Iran's improved, stealthier drones are changing global conflict

A drone was shot down by Sudanese rebels in January, sparking a social media debate on Iranian technology's impact on the international arms trade.

A drone was shot down by rebels opposing the Sudanese army in January, close to Khartoum. Happy Gunmen shared footage of the devastation on social media, providing new information about how Iranian technology is changing the international arms trade. The video's drone, which is obviously based on Iran's Ababil model — the mainstay of paramilitaries all over the Middle East since it was created in the 1990s — reflected a change in design: The fact that Sudan is converting the Iranian drone into its own weapon, which it names the Zagel-3, was demonstrated on the battlefield by the fact that it has two front tires instead of the typical one.

This information comes after at least five additional nations, ranging from South America to Central Asia, have seen an increase in Iranian drone manufacturing within the past two years. There are now at least twelve countries employing Iranian technology, support, or parts, with Russia having started producing Iranian drones for its war in Ukraine. Iran's commanders have threatened retaliation against Israel for an airstrike on its embassy in Syria, killing Iranian officers. Iran's drone warfare skills, particularly low-tech, have raised concerns for Middle East stability. An Iranian-designed kamikaze drone killed three US servicemen and injured over forty more. Tehran's role in supplying disruptive technologies to nearby militias has fueled regional tensions on four continents.