The Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, Major General Ali Bagheri

The Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, Major General Ali Bagheri, said on Sunday that Iran stands among the world's five leading countries in terms of drone capabilities.

General Bagheri further rebuked claims that Iran was involved in the supply of drones to be used in the Ukraine conflict and slammed these accusations as being part of the enemy's propaganda against Iran.

On the sidelines of an exhibition of Quranic achievements of the Iranian armed forces on Sunday, the General told reporters that "Iran is considered one of the five drone powers in the world, and this is the result of 37 years of experience from the beginning of the sacred defense era until now."

Iran's drone capabilities are particularly owed to its own domestic capacities and its wide research hubs, which include academic institutions, research organizations, and knowledge-based companies, Bagheri added.

On matters related to the false accusations held against Iran, he said that the fact such claims are being made indicates that Iran has effectively reached a global standing in terms of drone capabilities.

He also recalled comments that were made by CENTCOM's ex-commander, that the US had lost its aerial supremacy for the first time since WWII, noting that Americans can no longer hold control of the air in aerial warfare as Iranians are now in possession of drones.

"The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran are fully prepared and powerful today, and we will respond decisively to any aggression against our land," he said.

Ever since the White House issued the statement that Iran is planning to supply Russia with hundreds of drones in July, the West has repeatedly accused Iran of aiding Russia in its combat efforts against Kiev's forces, despite that Moscow itself denied allegations that it received drones from Iran for combat-related use.

Iran has continuously and repeatedly stated that it will not side in the war, denying all claims that it has provided Moscow with weapons to be used in Ukraine.

Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian had confirmed earlier that Iran did provide a small batch of drones to Russia, but that was before the Ukraine conflict broke out.

In November, Iran's permanent mission to the UN had requested to meet with Ukraine experts to provide Tehran with valid proof that Iran had supplied drones to Russia for combat use against Kiev's forces.

Iranian Defense Minister Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani confirmed on December 13 that Kiev failed to provide concrete evidence proving that Iran had supplied drones to Russia.

Their failure to do so validates that the allegations were deliberately fabricated by Kiev to discredit and demonize Iran.

Yesterday, Ukrainian Presidential Advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said in a tweet that Iran plans to boost its missile and drone supplies for Russia.

Referring to the UN, the Ukrainian official further said that Iran "humiliates the institution of international sanctions" and that it is important to abandon "nonworking sanctions, invalid UN resolutions concepts," and move to more destructive tools, such as the liquidation of nuclear plants and the arrest of suppliers.

The tweet coms in the context of demonizing Iran with the alleged intent of supporting Russia in its combat efforts in Ukraine despite Iran announcing that Kiev failed to provide concrete evidence to support such claims.

His call to issue strikes on Iran despite the lack of evidence had already been issued in early November. During an interview, he said, "It is necessary not just to impose sanctions or embargoes, it seems to me that it would be possible to launch specific strikes on the production of drones and ballistic missiles, and so on [on Iran]."