Polish state company denies its parts were used in Iranian drones

WARSAW (Reuters) - A Polish state-owned engineering company denied on Friday that its parts were used in Iranian combat drones, saying an ongoing investigation only concerns whether it had the required export permits.

Private broadcaster Radio Zet reported on Thursday, without naming its sources, that WSK Poznan had sold pumps to Iranian motor-maker Motorsazan Company for use in tractors, but the parts ended up in drones that Iran shipped to Russia.

"The article published by Radio Zet ... insinuates the participation of WSK Poznan in supplying the Iranian arms industry and using components produced by the company for the production of combat drones by Iran," WSK said in a statement.

"The company expressly denies this information."

Iran has supplied thousands of Shahed-136 "kamikaze" drones to Russia since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. They have been used to exhaust Ukrainian air defences and hit infrastructure far from the front lines.

WSK Poznan said the prosecution was conducting an investigation into the export of parts manufactured by the company to Iran.

"However, the issue of the Ukrainian side finding parts and/or pumps from WSK Poznan, or the company supplying Iranian drone manufacturers, does not appear in the case," WSK said, adding its pumps were not suitable for use in drones.

Poland's National Prosecutor's Office said in an email on Thursday that it was investigating whether WSK Poznan had exported dual-use products without the proper permits. It did not mention drones or Iran.

(Reporting by Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk; Editing by Rod Nickel)