In a ceremony broadcast on television, Defence Minister Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani handed over "more than 200 long-range strategic drones" to army chief Abdolrahim Mousavi, the official news agency IRNA said.

Produced by the Iranian defence ministry, the drones are designed for reconnaissance and strike missions, and can carry air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, IRNA said.

The United States and the European Union have sanctioned Iran over its drone programme, alleging it had supplied Russia with unmanned aerial vehicles for its war on Ukraine -- a charge Tehran denies.