Iranian specialists are studying captured American weapons and using the technologies obtained to develop their own military systems tailored to the country’s needs. Ali Balali, an adviser to the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force, made the statement in an interview with RIA Novosti.

According to Balali, US weapons and military equipment obtained by Iran during what he described as the second and third imposed wars are undergoing reverse engineering. However, Iranian developers are not simply reproducing American designs.

He explained that Iranian engineers incorporate their own ideas into the development process to create weapons that differ from the original American models and are better suited to Iran’s military requirements.

The IRGC has previously reported on several occasions that it intercepted control of American MQM-170 drones and forced them to land. There have also been reports of Iranian forces capturing unmanned underwater vehicles in the Strait of Hormuz.

Balali’s remarks come amid the continuing confrontation between Tehran and Washington, marked by military strikes and disputes over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

In mid-June, Iran and the United States signed a memorandum intended to initiate a peace process. However, just three weeks later, the two countries resumed exchanging military strikes.

The conflict brought shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to an almost complete halt, triggering an increase in fuel prices worldwide.

A month later, Tehran proposed a seven-day plan to reopen the strait in exchange for the lifting of the naval blockade and export restrictions. US President Donald Trump rejected the proposal.

The proposed timeframe for reopening the Strait of Hormuz was subsequently reduced to two days. Nevertheless, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described Iran’s current conditions as unserious and absurd.