The Intelligence from The Economist Drone team: Russia’s plan to arm Iran
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May 8, 2026 
Geoffrey Carr, senior editor and obituary writer, shares a compact tribute to Craig Venter. The conversation covers leaked Russian plans to supply Iran with jam‑resistant drones and training. It also highlights the crisis of nearly 20,000 merchant seamen stuck in the Gulf and the human toll aboard ships.
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Russia Proposed Arming Iran With Tethered Drones
- Leaked GRU documents propose Russia would supply Iran with 5,000 short-range fiber-optic drones, longer-range satellite-guided drones, and operator training.
- The 10-page proposal aimed to repel a potential US amphibious assault and was likely drafted early in the war when a ground operation seemed possible.
Why Fiber Optic Drones Are Hard To Defeat
- Fiber-optic (tethered) drones are essentially unjammable because control and data run down a physical cable rather than radio.
- They can reach ~40 km with extreme accuracy and were highly effective in Ukraine, prompting global demand for fiber spools.
Starlink Terminals Extend Drone Reach Temporarily
- Longer-range drones equipped with Starlink terminals can be guided via SpaceX satellites, and Russia has used such connectivity to attack Ukrainian targets.
- The proposal notes fewer geofencing restrictions in the Middle East, so Starlink-linked drones could sow interim disorder even if access is later cut.