Iran announced on Tuesday it is launching a drone production line in Tajikistan, marking the first time the country is initiating a military production line abroad.
A report by the official IRNA news agency said the ceremony took place during a visit to the Central Asian nation by Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces.
The move is seen as an effort by Iran to address the balance of power in the region: Afghanistan under Taliban rulers poses a threat to its two neighbors, predominantly Shiite Iran and secular Tajikistan.
The report said the drone is dubbed the Ababil-2 after a bird in the Quran. It is capable of carrying out attacks as well as surveillance missions from a range of 200 kilometers (124 miles) with 1 1/2 hours of flight time, the report said. It did not reveal other details such as the capacity of the production line.
