Major General Hossein Salami, the commander-in-chief of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said on Thursday that Iran had downed a US drone to send a “clear message” to Washington.
“The downing of the American drone was a clear message to America,” Salami said, as quoted by state TV. He went on to warn that Tehran would “react strongly” against any aggression, describing Iran’s borders as its red line.
“Iran is not seeking war with any country, but we are fully prepared to defend Iran,” he added.
Earlier in the day, the IRGC reported that Iran had downed a US spy drone, identified as RQ-4 Global Hawk, flying over Hormuzgan province in Iran’s south.
There has been no immediate confirmation from the Pentagon, although a spokesman for the US Central Command earlier stated that there was no drone operating over Iranian territory.
Meanwhile, a US official told Reuters on condition of anonymity that Iran did shoot down a US drone − an MQ-4C Triton − with a surface-to-air missile, while it was flying in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz.
This follows last week’s oil tanker incidents near one of the world’s most strategic chokepoints, just off Iran’s coast. Washington was quick to blame Tehran for what appeared to be an attack on the vessels, but the Islamic Republic denied any involvement.
Days after the incidents, the Pentagon okayed the dispatching of an additional 1,000 troops to the region, following the deployment of an air carrier group and a bomber task force in response to reports that Iran or its proxies were planning an attack against the United States.
The IRGC commander, however, said that the “aircraft carriers’ scenario is over” for Iran as it has acquired an unspecified system capable of “steering a ballistic missile”.
The US Central Command accused Iran last week of attempting to shoot down its drone that was monitoring the movement of one of two tankers hit in the Gulf of Oman.
Source: Sputnik
