The Iranian Ministry of Defense has handed over to the army more than 200 new drones equipped with missile capabilities and electronic warfare systems, according to the official media announced Thursday.

In a televised ceremony, the Minister of Defense, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Qaraei Ashtiani, handed over "200 long-range strategic drones" to the Commander-in-Chief of the Army , Major General Abdul Rahim Mousavi , according to IRNA.

The agency stated that the drones produced by the Ministry of Defense are designed for reconnaissance and strike missions and can be equipped with "air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, and long-range bombs."

The United States and the European Union imposed sanctions on Iran over its drone program, accusing it of providing Russia with unmanned aerial vehicles for its war in Ukraine, a charge Tehran denies.