Iranian air defenses were called into action to divert a U.S. ‘spy plane’ and reconnaissance drone near its air space in the last six months, military official Farzad Esmaili (pictured) said
Iranian air defenses were called into action to divert a U.S. ‘spy plane’ and reconnaissance drone near its air space in the last six months, a military official said.
Brigadier General Farzad Esmaili, commander of Iran’s air defence force, said an unmanned RQ-4 drone was intercepted last week.
While a U2 spy plane was warned away in March, the Fars news agency reported.
‘When the warning was given to the pilot of this (U2) plane at the Strait of Hormuz, he knew that he was being targeted by two separate radars … and missile systems,’ Esmaili said.
‘Iran will never allow such hostile planes to approach its airspace and would not hesitate to bring them down if necessary,’ Esmaili added, according to the Tasnim news agency.
U.S. officials have frequently complained of what they call unsafe and unprofessional interactions by Iranian maritime forces in the Gulf this year.
Iran has said its forces act within their rights to protect Iranian territorial waters.
The Trump administration has recently struck a hard line on Iran, accusing Tehran of violating the spirit of an accord with world powers that lifted sanctions and sought to curb The Islamic Republic’s nuclear programme.
Brigadier General Farzad Esmaili, commander of the Iran’s air defence force, said an unmanned RQ-4 drone was intercepted last week
The reports come after it emerged in July that a US Navy ship fired flares at an Iranian patrol boat in the Persian Gulf, on the same day Tehran condemned new sanctions on its missile programme.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday that the US Navy had approached their patrol vessels in the Gulf and fired flares in what it called a provocative move yesterday afternoon.
In a statement, the Guards said: ‘The supercarrier USS Nimitz and its accompanying warship, while being monitored by the Guards’ frigates, flew a helicopter near the Resalat oil and gas platform and approached the force’s ships.
‘The Americans in a provocative and unprofessional move, sent a warning message to the frigates and fired flares.’
The Guards ‘ignored the unconventional move by the US ships and continued their mission, after which the supercarrier and its warship left the area,’ the statement added.
On Tuesday, a US Navy patrol ship fired warning shots at a Guards boat in the Gulf as it closed in on the American vessel, US officials said.
The Guards denied approaching the US ship on that occasion and said it was the American vessel that had been at fault.
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