Iran Claims “Copycat Drone” Operations

Iran has accused the United States and Israel of using copies of Iranian-made Shahed-type drones to carry out attacks in the region and attribute them to Tehran.

Iranian officials claim that unmanned aerial vehicles known as “Lucas,” which reportedly resemble the Shahed design, have been used in certain operations, including incidents linked to Türkiye and Azerbaijan.

On the day a third missile was reportedly launched, Iranian authorities also stated that no missile had been fired from Iran toward Türkiye, emphasizing that “the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran respect the sovereignty of neighboring and friendly country Türkiye.”