Iran is developing and testing new combat robots in its northeastern regions according to a high-ranking official.

General Nozar Nemati, Deputy Commander of the Army Ground Force Brigadier, said troops are engaged in an “offensive” exercise using newly-developed robots which was launched on Sunday night in northeastern Iran.

The country began drills in the area in November 2024, although the latest stage has shifted focus from a defensive to combative strategy, the general told the Tehran Times.

He said: “The Army Ground force enhances the country’s combat and defensive capabilities by effectively utilising its personnel across multiple tasks. This includes improving reconnaissance, fire support, transportation, offensive electronic warfare, and robotics.”

He added: “By conducting continuous operations at any time and place, the Ground Force plays a vital role in countering surrounding threats and serves as a backbone for the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

The news could have repercussions for Iran’s ongoing conflict with Israel and in the wake of Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

The new President has pledged to put “maximum pressure” on the country, speculated to be focused on sanctioning economic exports.

While he did not go into detail about the specifics of the robots, the general said the new military equipment includes unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

“We are…designing and implementing connections between special forces and robots for future warfare while employing various attacking drones and an integrated system to counter enemy drones,” General Nemati said.

“These advancements reflect our commitment to developing cutting-edge technologies within the Army Ground Force.”

There has been an increased move towards digital warfare in the rapidly changing modern climate – ushered in by the use of drones to launch attacks in Ukraine after Russia’s invasion in 2022.

Iran has also been in the process of developing strike drones as far back as the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s.

While fears of a war between Israel and Iran have been a long-running undercurrent of the conflict in Gaza, alongside concerns about Iran developing nuclear capability, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said he did not think an incoming Trump presidency increased such a risk.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud said: “President Trump has been quite clear he does not favour conflict.”

Despite this, Trump is planning to apply “maximum pressure” in “bankrupting” Iran’s nuclear capabilities, according to reports by the Financial Times, after his 2017 administration imposed sanctions against the country as part of the US’ withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal.