Iran Responds: Someone is Framing Us

According to Xinhua News Agency on March 15, the Central Headquarters of Iran’s Hatem Army announced early this morning that “the enemy” has replicated Iranian drones to carry out attacks on regional countries, attempting to frame Iran.

“Eyewitness-136” drone (photo) Source: CCTV News App

The statement said that “the enemy” has replicated Iran’s “Eyewitness-136” drone to attack innocent targets in regional countries, aiming to frame Iran, create disputes and divisions between Iran and its neighbors, and undermine the legitimacy and legality of Iran’s armed forces’ self-defense actions.

The statement also mentioned that in recent days, several attacks targeting targets within Turkey, Kuwait, and Iraq are examples of such “frame Iran’s armed forces” incidents.

Iran reiterated that it only targets entities related to the United States and Israel and will officially claim responsibility for any such strikes through official statements.

Public information shows that the “Eyewitness-136” drone is a one-way attack drone, approximately 3.5 meters in length with a wingspan of about 2.5 meters. When approaching the target, its warhead detonates upon impact.

Compared to traditional cruise missiles, it is inexpensive. According to publicly available data, a “Eyewitness-136” drone costs about $20,000 to $50,000, while intercept missiles used by modern air defense systems often cost several million dollars.

Military experts point out that although Iran’s disposable drones are low-cost, their destructive power is significant. Shooting them down with missiles is costly, and in the long run, it may be unsustainable. Some analysts suggest that Iran is engaging in an “asymmetric war” with the U.S. and Israel through drones and other means.

Earlier media reports indicated that U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley admitted at a closed-door briefing on Capitol Hill on March 4 that Iran’s “Eyewitness” one-way attack drones pose a “significant challenge” to U.S. air defense systems, making it difficult to intercept all of them.