British Universities Accused of Assisting Iran in Developing Suicide Drones
Shafaq News/ Five prestigious British universities, including Cambridge, Imperial College, Glasgow, Cranfield, and Northumbria, have been accused of aiding Iran in developing suicide drones, according to a report published by The Telegraph on Saturday.
The investigation by the Jewish Chronicle revealed that Iranian researchers at these universities shared their research with students from Iranian universities, some of which are under Western sanctions. They allegedly assisted Iranian institutions working on advanced technology for uncrewed aerial vehicles and combat aircraft, including the Shahed-136 drone engine Russia acquired from Iran.
The revelations have prompted calls for investigations into the universities' activities. Alicia Kearns, the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs in the British Parliament, emphasized the need for an inquiry to determine whether these collaborations breach sanctions imposed on sensitive and dual-use technologies. She expressed concerns about potential implications for gender apartheid in Iran, its intervention in the Middle East, and civilian casualties in Ukraine.
David Lammy, the Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs, also called for an urgent investigation into possible breaches of UK sanctions on military technology cooperation with Iran.
In response to the accusations, a spokesperson for the UK government stated that collaboration endangering national security would not be tolerated. The government has implemented measures to protect UK research through its Academic Technology Approval Program and rejects applications where concerns arise.
Meanwhile, the US Departments of State, Commerce, Justice, and Treasury issued a memorandum on Friday, alerting the international community and private sector about the threat posed by Iran's purchases, development, and deployment of drones. The memorandum urged caution and cooperation to prevent activities that could contribute to the dangerous and destabilizing Iranian drone program.
