Tehran: Since the last few days, Iran has initiated rapid steps to improve cooperation with the central Asian countries. A few hours ago, Iran started a drone manufacturing facility in Tajikistan. The Iranian government news agency informed that military drones based on Iranian technology will now be produced in Tajikistan. It is claimed that Iran has started this facility in Tajikistan to issue a warning to the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. But this Iranian drone manufacturing facility in a foreign country could pose a challenge to the countries negotiating the nuclear deal with Iran.
On Monday, Iranian Defence Minister Major General Mohammad Bagheri met the Defence Minister of Tajikistan, Colonel General Sherali Mirzo, in the Tajik capital Dushanbe. The Defence Ministers discussed the issues of counter-terrorism actions and border security. The Iranian news agency informed that the drone manufacturing facility was inaugurated after this in the presence of Major General Bagheri. This is the first Iranian drone manufacturing facility outside the country. Ababil-2 drones will be produced in this factory in Tajikistan.
These drones can carry out surveillance up to nearly 200 kilometres and launch attacks on enemy locations. As per the Iranian media, the concerned drones can be airborne for at least an hour and a half. A few days ago, Iran re-established relations with Armenia and Azerbaijan’s neighbouring countries. With this military cooperation with Tajikistan, Iran seems to be strengthening its foothold in central Asia. But Iran is officially exporting drones after starting the manufacturing facility in Tajikistan.
As per the sanctions imposed by the United Nations and the United States, instructions are that no country or organisation should establish military cooperation with Iran. Therefore, Russia had stalled the agreement to sell the S-400 air defence system to Iran. 
Starting this drone manufacturing facility in Tajikistan, Iran seems to be challenging the sanctions imposed by the western countries. A reaction is expected from Israel over the development. A few months ago, hundreds of drones were destroyed in the attack on the Kermanshah airbase in Iran.
Iran had held Israel responsible for the attack on its airbase. The Israeli government and defence forces had avoided reacting on the incident. But Israel is consistently warning that the Iranian drones are a threat to the security of the Middle East. The Israeli military expressed concerns that these Iranian drones have reached the Iran-affiliated terrorist organisations in Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq. Israel had also claimed that it could shoot down the Iranian drones deployed in Iraq.
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