US copying of Iranian drone was an admission of Tehran’s superiority: Cmdr.

The Iranian Armed Forces spokesperson says Washington’s replication of the Shahed-136 drone amounts to an acknowledgment of Tehran’s superiority in unmanned aerial vehicle technology.

“There is no greater honor than seeing those who claim to be global powers kneel before the Iranian Shahed-136 and attempt to copy it,” said Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi, the cultural deputy of Iran’s General Staff of the Armed Forces, on the sidelines of a visit to an IRGC aerospace exhibition on Tuesday.

“Iran’s armed forces – particularly the IRGC Aerospace Force – are a thorn in the side of the global hegemonic system,” he said.

Referring to a 12-day Israeli-imposed war on Iran in June, Shekarchi said the enemy was defeated “despite possessing the most advanced defense systems and full support from the United States,” and had ultimately sought to end the war through “requests and messaging.”

He added that Iran has since addressed shortcomings, strengthened its capabilities, and is now “far more prepared than on the first day of the aggression.”

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the Pentagon was deploying a new drone to the Middle East region that was copied from an Iranian version.