USS Abraham Lincoln strike group approaches Middle East amid warnings that Iranian drone capabilities worth "tens of millions of dollars" threaten U.S. naval vessels.

Jan 29 (Reuters) - A batch of 1,000 drones was received by the various branches of the Iranian army, semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Thursday, amid growing tensions, with the U.S. President Donald Trump warning of an attack if Tehran refuses a nuclear deal.

Iran's drone carrier, the Shahid Bagheri, has been stationed in the Persian Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz as a direct response to US naval presence in the region

Iran’s army chief has ordered the integration of 1,000 newly developed drones into the country’s armed forces, as Tehran moves to bolster its military capabilities amid US war threats. Major General Amir Hatami, commander-in-chief of Iran’s Army, oversaw the integration of the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the Mehr News Agency reported Thursday.

Chell said Iran’s advantage is volume and cost rather than sophistication, pairing inexpensive warheads with cheap delivery platforms launched in large numbers. Iran’s growing use of swarming, low-cost one-way drones presents a credible threat to high-value US naval vessels,

The face-off has sent diplomatic shock waves across the region, with calls for negotiations to defuse tensions drawing in key regional actors.

With Russian ground troops bogged down in a grinding war of attrition, Moscow is striving to press home its advantage in the skies – through an ever-evolving army of drones, courtesy of Iran. In early January,

Iran allegedly deploys drones amid nationwide protests as Human Rights Activists News Agency reports at least 544 confirmed deaths and over 10,000 arrests.

Turkish authorities arrested six people accused of spying for Tehran, as Ankara works on plans to contain security risks and refugee fallout from potential US strikes on Iran.