- WIADOMOŚCI
Do humanitarian convoys transport weapons to Iran?
A convoy of 110 trucks has departed from Tajikistan. It is labeled as humanitarian aid and is heading toward Iran. However, reports have emerged suggesting that the trucks may be carrying weapons instead of medical supplies.
Photo. Mehdi Pedramkhoo/Wikimedia Commons
A statement from the Tajik Ministry of Foreign Affairs, published on March 18, listed 3,600 tons of cargo, including 45 tons of medicines, a large quantity of sanitary and hygiene products, and other supplies as part of the convoy. The Ukrainian news outlet United24media noted that Iran and Tajikistan have a long-standing record of military cooperation. In 2021, the two countries established a joint military defense committee aimed at countering Turkey’s growing influence in Central Asia.
An Iranian factory located in Tajikistan produces Ababil-2 drones. The facility, situated near Dushanbe, is the first publicly known Iranian drone manufacturing plant outside Iran. This raises a credible possibility that the convoy may, in fact, be transporting weapons disguised as humanitarian aid.
Last week, Iranian state media showcased footage of underground tunnels filled, among other things, with Ababil-2 and Ababil-3 drones—identical to those produced in Dushanbe.
The Ababil-2 is an unmanned aerial system with a maximum flight time of about two hours and an operational range of approximately 100 kilometers. It measures 3 meters in length with a wingspan of 3.2 meters. Due to its relatively small size, it can be launched from the back of a truck.
