I wonder whether the IRGC-ASF was confident enough to use relay drones for long range communication or the Simorgh/Saeghe were taken over from autopilot once near the target area.
I mean this type:
A low payload relay drone like this can reach 10-20 hours endurance. 12 or less of this cheap to operate small and stealthy drones could establish a com link up to Syria. They would circle on station for hours (8-12) and are hard to detect. Their low price and operating costs would make such a 12-swarm cheaper than some may think. Plus easy and robust to operate if automated with a swarm automation/AI.
This is the lowest end solution for such a drone relay communication. Larger Saeghe based relays with high gain directional communication antenna could reduce the numbers necessary for 600km to 4-5.
I believe that the IRGC-ASF is innovative enough to make such a concept operational for RQ-170 based airpower. That technological jump would justify such investments.