Iranian state television aired a staged demonstration in which an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps air force officer displayed a series of domestically produced "Witness" (Moqeb) unmanned aerial vehicles, including models designated 129, 191 and 136. The broadcast showed multiple airframes laid out on a tarmac and several engines started, underscoring Tehran's desire to present these systems as operational and reliable assets.
Tehran described the "Witness-129" as a flagship model with a 16-metre wingspan and the capacity to carry four guided munitions, and said the series had been used during last June's 12-day direct military clash with Israel. The public demonstration, which included the officer speaking in Hebrew, was clearly aimed at both domestic audiences and Israel, blending technical display with psychological signalling.
The event fits into a longer trajectory in which Iran has invested heavily in unmanned aerial systems to offset conventional military asymmetries. Over the past decade Tehran has developed a range of reconnaissance and strike drones that have seen service across the region, and the televised show points to a maturing industrial and production base that can produce increasingly capable airframes.
For neighbouring states and Western planners the display is significant for two linked reasons: it signals continued improvement in Iran's precision-strike approach, and it highlights the role of drones as low-cost, politically useful tools of coercion. Even if the "Witness" family is not revolutionary in technical terms, greater numbers, improved munitions carriage and operational experience raise the operational challenge for air‑defence systems and escalation management.
The cascade effects are both military and diplomatic. Militarily, greater drone availability complicates defence planning for Israel, Gulf states and U.S. forces in the region, forcing investments in detection, electronic warfare and intercept capabilities. Diplomatically, publicising these systems is part of Tehran's deterrence messaging and may strengthen Iran's hand in negotiations by signalling resilience despite sanctions and international pressure.
The demonstration also raises proliferation concerns. Iran has a history of transferring unmanned systems and associated know‑how to proxies and allied militias, which can expand the geographic reach of these capabilities and increase the risk of their use in lower‑intensity conflicts or against civilian infrastructure. Monitoring, attribution and responses will remain central challenges for policymakers trying to prevent inadvertent escalation.