Iranian Defense Minister Unveils New, Larger Drone

The Iranian-made missile-equipped "Fotros" drone is unveiled during a ceremony in Tehran on November 18.

Iran has unveiled a missile-equipped drone that it claims can stay aloft for up to 30 hours.

Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan was quoted by the IRNA news agency as saying that the "Fotros" drone can fly at an altitude of 7,600 meters for up to 2,000 kilometers, a range that would cover much of the Middle East, including Israel.

Dehghan said the "Fotros" drone could carry out reconnaissance missions or launch air-to-surface missiles.

It's the latest announcement by Iran concerning its drone program.

In September, the Revolutionary Guards Corps announced the production of the "Shahed 129" drone, which it said has a range of 1,700 kilometers.

Also in September, Iran unveiled the "Yasseer" drone, which it claimed was capable of flying for eight hours with a range of 200 kilometers.

It is difficult to independently verify the claims.

Based on reporting by AP and AFP