Iran SHOTDOWN USAF MQ-4C, Pentagon admitted! Oil Price UP UP UP!

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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-48700965

Strait of Hormuz: US confirms drone shot down by Iran

• 20 June 2019

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• Gulf tanker attacks

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A US military surveillance drone has been shot down by Iranian forces while flying over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said the aircraft had violated Iranian airspace, and that the incident sent a "clear message to America".
But the US military insisted the drone had been over international waters at the time, and condemned what it called an "unprovoked attack" by the IRGC.
It comes at a time of escalating tension between the US and Iran.
On Monday, the US defence department said it was deploying 1,000 extra troops to the region in response to "hostile behaviour" by Iranian forces. It has already sent an aircraft carrier strike group and B-52 bombers.
The US has also accused Iran of attacking two oil tankers with mines last Thursday just outside the Strait of Hormuz, in the Gulf of Oman. Iran rejects the allegation.
It was the second time in a month tankers had been attacked close in the region, through which a fifth of the world's oil passes each day.
Tensions were further fuelled on Monday when Iran announced its stockpile of low-enriched uranium would next week exceed limits it agreed with world powers under a landmark nuclear deal in 2015.

• What we know about Gulf tanker attacks
• The Iran nuclear crisis in 300 words
• Profile: Iran's Revolutionary Guards

Iran stepped up its production in response to tightening economic sanctions from the US, which unilaterally withdrew from the deal last year.
What happened on Thursday?
The IRGC said its air force had shot down a US "spy" drone in the early hours after the unmanned aircraft violated Iranian airspace near Kuhmobarak in the southern province of Hormozgan.
In a speech carried live on Iranian state television, IRGC commander-in-chief Maj-Gen Hossein Salami warned the US to respect Iran's territorial integrity.

"The downing of the American drone was a clear message to America, and the message is this: those who defend the borders of the Islamic nation of Iran will react in a total and decisive way to any intrusions by foreign elements on our land. Our borders are our red line."
He added: "Iran is not seeking war with any country, but we are fully prepared to defend Iran."
The US military's Central Command later confirmed that a US Navy Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS-D) aircraft was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile system while operating in what it said was international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz at approximately 23:35 GMT on Wednesday (04:05 Iran time on Thursday).
"Iranian reports that the aircraft was over Iran are false," spokesman Navy Capt Bill Urban said. "This was an unprovoked attack on a US surveillance asset in international airspace."
The BAMS-D is a RQ-4A Global Hawk High-Altitude, Long, Endurance (HALE) drone that can carry out surveillance and reconnaissance missions over vast ocean and coastal regions, according to the US military.
First direct incident of crisis

This is the first direct incident of the current crisis involving the US and Iranian militaries and is a powerful reminder of the dangers of escalation in the Gulf.
As far as the Iranians are concerned, the downing of the drone was intended to send a clear and explicit message to the Americans - "our borders are our red line" - a point underscored by the IRGC's commander-in-chief.
So there is no doubting who shot down the US drone, an MQ-4C Triton. It is a massive aircraft with a wing-span equivalent to a small airliner. But the two sides differ as to where it happened. The Iranians say it was in their airspace; the Americans say that it was not.
According to some reports, US President Donald Trump himself is eager to dial down the tension, fearing a spillover into outright conflict. But this is just the kind of incident that could provoke just such a cycle of action and response.
Is this the first time Iran has targeted a US drone?
Last week, the US military accused Iran of attempting to shoot down a US MQ-9 Reaper armed drone with a surface-to-air missile in an attempt to disrupt surveillance of one of the tankers that was attacked, the Kokuka Courageous.
The drone had earlier observed a fire on board the other tanker, the Front Altair.
The previous week, another US MQ-9 Reaper was shot down over Yemen by a surface-to-air missile fired by the Iran-backed rebel Houthi movement.
The US military said the altitude of the engagement "indicated an improvement over previous Houthi capability, which we assess was enabled by Iranian assistance". Iran denies providing weapons to the Houthis.
In 2011, Iran said it had captured a US RQ-170 Sentinel reconnaissance drone that had been reported lost by US forces in neighbouring Afghanistan. It developed its own version of the drone, one of which was shot down by Israel last year.
US-Iran tension: Recent events
May 2018: US President Donald Trump withdraws unilaterally from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, and begins reinstating sanctions to force Iran to renegotiate the accord. Iran's economy slumps as they take effect.
2 May 2019: Mr Trump steps up pressure on Tehran by ending exemptions from secondary sanctions for countries still buying Iranian oil.
5 May: The US sends an aircraft carrier strike group and B-52 bombers to the Gulf because of "troubling and escalatory indications" related to Iran.
8 May: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says Iran will scale back its commitments under the nuclear deal in retaliation for the sanctions, including by allowing its stockpile of low-enriched uranium to increase. Enriched uranium is used to make reactor fuel and potentially nuclear weapons.
12 May: Four oil tankers are damaged by explosions off the UAE coast in the Gulf of Oman. The UAE says the blasts were caused by limpet mines planted by a "state actor". The US blames Iran, but it denies the allegation.
13 June: Explosions hit two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. The US again accuses Iran, releasing footage purportedly showing Iranian forces removing an unexploded limpet mine from a damaged vessel. Iran says the evidence is fabricated.
17 June: Iran says it will breach the limit on its stockpile of enriched uranium set under the nuclear deal on 27 June, unless Europe protects Iranian oil sales.
20 June: Iranian forces shoot down US military drone over the Strait of Hormuz.

Related Topics

• Iran
• United States
• Gulf tanker attacks
• Iran-US relations

https://www.wsj.com/articles/iran-says-it-shot-down-a-u-s-drone-11561005235

Iran Downs U.S. Military Drone Amid Rising Tensions
Iran has no intention of going to war with any country, but is ready, says Revolutionary guard commander

 

[Ang4MohTrump]

https://edition.cnn.com/politics/live-news/iran-us-drone-shot-down-latest-intl/index.html


Iran shoots down US drone
By Rob Picheta, CNN
Updated 9:13 a.m. ET, June 20, 2019
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What we're covering here

• Drone down: Iran says it shot down an approaching US spy drone on Thursday. The US says the drone was flying in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz.
• Escalating tensions: The move is likely to increase friction between Washington and Tehran. Trump announced Monday he would send 1,000 more troops to the Middle East. And last week, US officials blamed Iran for attacks on two oil tankers.

by




2 min agoA US drone was shot down over Iran today. Here's what we know so far.

Iranian forces have shot down a United States military drone today, a move that could escalate an already tense relationship between the two countries.
If you're just catching up on the news, here's where things stand now:

• What happened: Both the US and Iran say Iranian forces shot down a US drone. However, the two countries have given different reports on where it went down.
• What Iran is saying: Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it had shot down an "intruding American spy drone" after it entered into the country's territory Thursday. They added that the downed drone was a US-made RQ-4A Global Hawk.
• What the US is saying: A US official confirmed a drone had been shot down, but said the incident occurred in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz.
• Where US-Iran relations stand: Relations between the two adversaries have taken a dangerous turn this week, beginning with the Trump administration's decision Monday to deploy 1,000 additional troops and more military resources to the Middle East. US officials have also blamed Iran for conducting attacks against oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

UPDATE: A US official previously identified to CNN the model of the drone as a MQ-4C Triton, but US Central Command later said it was an RQ-4A Global Hawk.


2 hr 12 min agoUS disputes claim its aircraft was in Iranian airspace
From CNN's Barbara Starr
The United States Central Command has said the US did not have any aircraft in Iranian airspace on Thursday (local time), disputing claims made by Iran.
“We did not have any aircraft in Iranian airspace today,” said Captain William Urban, spokesman for US Central Command.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) previously said the drone was flying in Iranian airspace.


1 hr 30 min agoMQ-4C Triton: The drone the US says was shot down by Iran

The drone that the US says was shot down in international airspace on Thursday was a MQ-4C Triton, designed by US national security contractor Northrop Grumman.
It is the larger, maritime-optimized cousin to Northrop's Global Hawk, and is capable of carrying out surveillance missions for up to 24 hours, with a sensor that provides a 360-degree view of its surroundings for over 2,000 nautical miles.
Triton operates from "five land-based sites worldwide as a part of a family of maritime patrol and reconnaissance systems," according to the United States Government Accountability Office. Designs on the drone started in 2008 and it had its first flight in 2013, before reaching Initial Operational Capability (IOC) last year.
The US Navy has ordered 68 of the aircraft, which had a reported total program cost of $12.7 billion. Australia is also spending $6.2 billion to acquire six of the aircraft.
A video from the US Navy shows the aircraft making its first flight:




2 min agoUS drone masked identification equipment, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says
From CNN’s Shirzad Bozorgmehr in Tehran

The US drone shot down by Iran had masked its identification equipment after being launched from a US base south of the Gulf, Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said Thursday, according to the country’s Fars news agency.
The statement said the US RQ-4A Global Hawk spying drone was launched at 00:14 a.m. local time on Thursday (3.44 p.m. ET on Wednesday) and flew from the Strait of Hormuz towards Chabahar. The IRGC said the drone was “breaking all aerospace rules and hiding its identification, which is against all aviation rules.”
The IRGC statement added: “While returning to the western Hormuz Strait's region the drone violated Iran's airspace and engaged in information-gathering and spying. At 4.05 a.m. local time while the violating airplane was over Iranian territory it was shot down by IRGC.”
The time given in the statement places the attack at 7:35 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
UPDATE: A US official previously identified to CNN the model of the drone as a MQ-4C Triton, but US Central Command later said it was an RQ-4A Global Hawk.


2 hr 58 min agoIran's Foreign Ministry condemns "provocative action"
From CNN’s Shirzad Bozorgmehr in Tehran
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman has condemned the “violation” of its airspace, according to a report in the country's Tasnim news agency on Thursday.
According to Tasnim, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Syed Abbas Mousavi said: “We strongly condemn this kind of aggressive and provocative action. We warn against any violation of Iran's airspace by foreign flying objects and declare that violators are responsible for the consequences of their actions.”


3 hr 1 min agoWhat has Trump said about Iran this week?

We are still awaiting a response from President Donald Trump to Thursday's attack on a US drone.
But in recent days, even as tensions have risen between Washington and Tehran, Trump has appeared to contradict some of his senior defense officials by downplaying the threat.
Days after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the administration continues to consider military options for dealing with Iran, Trump dismissed the idea in an interview with Time magazine. Asked whether he was considering military action against Tehran, the President said: "I wouldn't say that. I can't say that at all."
Trump also called the attack on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman, which his administration has blamed on Iran, as "very minor."
Then, in an interview with Fox News, Trump was asked collectively about tensions with Iran, China and Russia. "Don't worry about a thing," Trump said, describing issues with those nations as being "under control."





https://edition.cnn.com/2019/06/20/middleeast/iran-drone-claim-hnk-intl/index.html

Iran shoots down US drone aircraft
By Joshua Berlinger, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Barbara Starr, Shirzad Bozorgmehr and Frederik Pleitgen, CNN

Updated 1053 GMT (1853 HKT) June 20, 2019




Video shows rare look inside Syrian battleground


Tehran, Iran (CNN)Iranian forces have shot down a United States military drone, a move that appears to have escalated the volatile situation playing out between Washington and Tehran in the Middle East.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it had shot down an "intruding American spy drone" after it entered into the country's territory Thursday.
A US official confirmed to CNN a drone had been shot down, but said the incident occurred in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most vital shipping routes.
The Revolutionary Guard said the downed drone was a US-made RQ-4 Global Hawk, while the US official said it was a MQ-4C Triton. Both are unmanned surveillance aircraft developed by weapons manufacturer Northrop Grumman.
The head of the Revolutionary Guard Corps, Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami, said the shooting down of the drone had sent a warning to the US.
"The only way for our enemies to be safe is to respect our sovereignty, national security, and the national interests of the great Iranian nation," Salami said, according Tasnim.

Live updates: Iran shoots down US drone
In comments likely to inflame tensions, Salami said that Iran does "not want war with any country, but we are completely, and totally, ready and prepared for war."
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Revolutionary Guard said the drone was launched from a US base south of the Persian Gulf shortly after midnight on Thursday. It said it flew from the Strait of Hormuz towards Chabahar, a city in southeast Iran.
"While returning to the western Hormuz Strait's region the drone violated Iran's airspace and engaged in information gathering and spying," the statement said.
"At 4.05 a.m. local time while the violating airplane was over Iranian territory, [it] was shot down," it added.
According to Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency, the drone was shot down by Khordad-3 medium range air defense missile.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Syed Abbas Mousavi said the country condemned the "aggressive and provocative action."
"We warn against any violation of Iran's airspace by foreign flying objects and declare that violators are responsible for the consequences of their actions," he was quoted by Tasnim as saying.
Reuters quoted Cap. Bill Urban, a spokesman for the US Central Command, as saying "no US aircraft were operating in Iranian airspace" Thursday.
Relations between the two adversaries have taken a dangerous turn this week, beginning with the Trump administration's decision Monday to deploy 1,000 additional troops and more military resources to the Middle East. The forces are being sent in response to what Washington called "hostile behavior by Iranian forces that threaten United States personnel and interests across the region."
US officials blame Iran for conducting attacks against oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, and the US President himself last week accused Iran of being behind the provocation, telling Fox News: "It was them that did it."
Tehran has categorically denied the accusations, and President Hassan Rouhani said the country does not seek war but "is determined to show its hopefulness and vitality and defeat the enemy's plot."

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Here's why there's rising tension between the US and Iran 01:30
Iran has previously been accused of targeting US drones.
In the hours before the attack on the two tankers earlier this month, the Iranians spotted a US drone flying overhead and launched a surface-to-air missile at the unmanned aircraft, a US official told CNN.
In 2014, the Iran's armed forces revealed what it claimed was a copy of a stealth American drone "commandeered" by Tehran in 2011.
Relations between Iran and the United States have deteriorated since May 2018, when Washington chose to leave the 2015 nuclear deal the Iranian regime negotiated with world powers and reimpose crippling sanctions on Iran's economy.
Trump and many conservatives in the US had long criticized the deal, which allowed Iran to stockpile limited amounts of enriched uranium and heavy water produced in that process, exporting any excess.
Doing so has become extremely difficult after the US revoked waivers that allowed Iran to export those excess stockpiles, effectively forcing Iran to halt enrichment or ignore the limits, which it is now doing.
After a year of waiting, Rouhani announced last month that it would reduce its "commitments to the deal," but not fully withdraw from it.
Iran then announced this week that it would resume nuclear enrichment activities, accelerating uranium enrichment to 3.7% -- above the 3.67% mandated by the nuclear deal. Enrichment at this level is enough to continue powering parts of the country's energy needs, but not enough to construct a nuclear bomb.
CNN's Daniel Allman and Ivana Kottasova contributed to this report.

 

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https://mil.news.sina.com.cn/world/2019-06-20/doc-ihytcerk8188367.shtml

伊朗击落一架美军无人机后 国际油价立刻上涨3%

2019年06月20日 16:43 参考消息



0

美海军MQ-4C“人鱼海神”无人侦察机资料图。
伊朗革命卫队6月20日发表声明称，其在本国南部霍尔木兹甘省的库莫巴拉克地区上空击落一架美海军大型高空远程无人侦察机。据美国广播公司等媒体报道，美方官员已经确认这一时间的真实性，但称该机是在“国际空域”被伊朗击落的。
据美国广播公司20日报道称，一名美军官员透露，一架美海军的MQ-4C“人鱼海神”远程无人侦察机“在飞越霍尔木兹海峡国际空域时被伊朗军方击落”。MQ-4C由美国诺-格公司基于RQ-4“全球鹰”无人机改进而来，其在“全球鹰”基础上大幅增强对海侦察搜索能力，一次出动可覆盖700万平方公里海域，于2018年5月正式投入服役，这是该型无人机首次在实战中被击落。
此前，针对伊朗发布的消息，美国中央司令部曾宣称美军飞机今天没有在伊朗空域或军事基地附近执行飞行任务。

美海军MQ-4C“人鱼海神”试飞资料图。
库莫巴拉克地区位于伊朗霍尔木兹甘省西北部，与可能部署有MQ-4C的多个美军基地隔海相望，直线距离不超过200公里。分析人士认为，若MQ-4C果真跨海而来，那么其选择库莫巴拉克地区作为对伊空中侦察“突破口”颇为耐人寻味——以该地区为圆心，向北、西北和东南的大约150公里范围内，密集分布有至少5座伊朗重要的海空军基地，布什尔核电站也位于该地区。
路透社此前报道称，美国曾做过空袭伊朗核设施的准备。不过，对美军战机来说，这一极具情报价值的空域同样暗藏不小的风险。
路透社20日报道关注到，受伊朗击落美军无人机消息获得证实的影响，国际原油价格大涨3%。有分析认为，在美国和伊朗关系不断趋紧、美军多次增兵中东的情况下，这起“擦枪走火”事件或进一步增加美伊爆发冲突的可能性。而美军方关于无人机是在“国际空域”遭击落的说法，似乎也为随后可能的报复行动做好了舆论铺垫。（编译/黄晋一）

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美军一架无人机被伊朗击落


https://mil.news.sina.com.cn/2019-06-20/doc-ihytcerk8176355.shtml

美方确认MQ-4C无人机飞越霍尔木兹海峡时被伊朗击落

2019年06月20日 15:48 环球时报



0

据美国福克斯新闻报道，消息人士称，6月20日，美国海军一架MQ-4C无人机被伊朗击落。据这位消息人士称，与波音737客机具有相同翼展的MQ-4C无人机事发当时正飞越国际空域，距离伊朗约17英里（27公里）。

福克斯新闻驻五角大楼资深记者卢卡斯·汤姆林森也在其其社交媒体账号上发文证实此事，他发文称，“美国官方确认，美国海军一架MQ-4C“海神”高空无人机今晚在飞越霍尔木兹海峡国际空域时被伊朗地对空导弹击落。”

早些时候，美联社援引伊朗伊斯兰共和国通讯社消息报道，伊朗伊斯兰革命卫队周四表示称，它们击落了一架美国无人机。

经伊朗伊斯兰革命卫队识别后确认，被击落的无人机型号为RQ-4“全球鹰”无人机（MQ-4C即RQ-4无人机的海上衍生型）。这架无人机是在进入伊朗南部霍尔木兹甘省库莫巴拉克地区附近的伊朗领空时被击落的。而美国中央司令部发言人厄本在被问及是否有美国无人机被击落时拒绝发表评论，但他告诉美联社：“伊朗领土上没有（美国）无人机。”


关键字 : 海军无人机

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After Iran shot down a US drone, international oil prices immediately rose 3%


June 20, 2019 16:43 Reference message



0



US Navy MQ-4C "Mermaid Poseidon" unmanned reconnaissance aircraft data map.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards issued a statement on June 20th that it shot down a large US Navy large-scale remote unmanned reconnaissance plane over the Kumobarak area in the province of Hormuzgan in the south of the country. According to media reports such as the American Broadcasting Corporation, US officials have confirmed the authenticity of this time, but said the aircraft was shot down by Iran in "international airspace."

According to a report by the ABC on the 20th, a US military official revealed that a US Navy's MQ-4C "Mermaid Poseidon" remote unmanned reconnaissance aircraft "was shot down by the Iranian military while flying over the international airspace of the Hormuz Strait." The MQ-4C is improved by the US-based Novo-based RQ-4 "Global Hawk" drone, which greatly enhances the search capability for sea reconnaissance on the basis of the "Global Hawk", and can cover 7 million square kilometers of sea area at a time. It was officially put into service in May 2018. This is the first time this type of drone was shot down in actual combat.

Earlier, in response to news released by Iran, the US Central Command had claimed that US military aircraft did not perform flights near Iranian airspace or military bases today.

US Navy MQ-4C "Mermaid Poseidon" flight test data map.

The Kumobarak area is located in the northwestern part of Hormuzgan Province, Iran, and is located across the sea from several US military bases where MQ-4C may be deployed, with a straight line distance of no more than 200 kilometers. Analysts believe that if the MQ-4C really crosses the sea, then its choice of the Kumobarak area as a "breakthrough" for Iraqi aerial reconnaissance is quite intriguing - centered on the region, about 150 north, northwest and southeast. Within the kilometer range, there are at least five important Iranian naval and air bases, and the Bushehr nuclear power plant is also located in the area.

Reuters previously reported that the United States had prepared for air strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. However, for US military aircraft, this highly valuable airspace also has no hidden risks.

Reuters reported on the 20th that the international crude oil price rose by 3% due to the confirmed confirmation of Iran’s downfall of US military drones. Some analysts believe that in the context of the tightening of relations between the United States and Iran and the fact that the US military has repeatedly increased its presence in the Middle East, this "fire-fighting" incident may further increase the possibility of a conflict between the United States and Iraq. The US military's statement that drones were shot down in "international airspace" seems to have paved the way for subsequent possible retaliation. (Compile / Huang Jinyi)

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A U.S. drone was shot down by Iran



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The US confirmed that the MQ-4C drone was shot down by Iran when flying over the Strait of Hormuz


June 20, 2019 15:48 Global Times



0



According to the US Fox News, sources said that on June 20, a US Navy's MQ-4C drone was shot down by Iran. According to the source, the MQ-4C drone with the same wingspan as the Boeing 737 was flying over the international airspace, about 17 miles (27 km) from Iran.

Fox News's Pentagon senior journalist Lucas Tomlinson also issued a document on his social media account to confirm the matter. He issued a document saying, "The US official confirmed that the US Navy has an MQ-4C "Poseidon" high-altitude drone. When it flew over the international airspace of the Strait of Hormuz, it was shot down by Iranian surface-to-air missiles."

Earlier, the Associated Press quoted the news agency of the Islamic Republic of Iran as saying that the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards said on Thursday that they shot down an American drone.

After being identified by the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard, it was confirmed that the model of the drone that was shot down was the RQ-4 "Global Hawk" drone (MQ-4C, the offshore derivative of the RQ-4 drone). The drone was shot down as it entered Iranian airspace near the Kumobarak area in Hormuzgan province in southern Iran. U.S. Central Command spokesman Eben refused to comment when asked if there were any U.S. drones being shot down, but he told the Associated Press: "There are no U.S. drones on Iranian territory."


Keywords : naval drone

I want feedback

 

[whoami]

Tats how warmonger US intimidate and bully small nations. We have seen it all over at ME. By provoking Iran, US hope latter will retaliate and dotard will accuse Iran as the agressor thus justify the invasion of Iran..

 

[Ang4MohTrump]

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...-recovered-in-its-territorial-waters-11647330

Iran says downed US drone recovered in its territorial waters

A photo of a RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft. (Handout/US AIR FORCE/AFP)

21 Jun 2019 05:28AM (Updated: 21 Jun 2019 07:18AM)
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WASHINGTON: Iran said on Thursday (Jun 20) it had recovered parts of a US spy drone in its territorial waters, after downing the aircraft in a missile strike slammed by President Donald Trump as a "big mistake."
Under pressure to respond to the high-stakes incident in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, where a series of tanker attacks have sent tensions soaring with Iran, Trump initially struck a combative tone.


"Iran made a very big mistake!" he tweeted in response to news Iran had shot down the Global Hawk surveillance aircraft - which the Pentagon says was above international waters at the time.
"This country will not stand for it, that I can tell you," he repeated later at the White House.
But as the overnight incident whipped up fears of open conflict between the United States and its declared foe Iran - sending crude oil prices up more than six per cent - Trump moved swiftly to dial back tensions.
"I find it hard to believe it was intentional, if you want to know the truth," Trump said. "I think that it could have been somebody who was loose and stupid that did it."


The president's mixed message left the world unsure what Washington's next move would be.
"You will find out," Trump said, when asked about possible retaliation.
In Tehran, however, the message came loud and clear.
Late Thursday Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif announced that parts of the drone had been recovered in Iranian territorial waters, as Tehran moved to bring the incident before the United Nations.
"We don't seek war, but will zealously defend our skies, land & waters," Zarif said.
DRONE VIOLATING OR VICTIM?
The Pentagon denounced the strike as an "unprovoked attack" in international air space, claiming the navy drone was some 34 kilometers (21 miles) from Iran when destroyed by a surface-to-air missile.
But the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it brought the drone down as it was "violating Iranian air space" over the waters of Hormozgan province.
Zarif provided coordinates to back the claim.
"At 00:14 US drone took off from UAE in stealth mode & violated Iranian airspace," Zarif tweeted. "It was targeted at 04:05 at the coordinates (25°59'43"N 57°02'25"E) near Kouh-e Mobarak."
"We've retrieved sections of the US military drone in OUR territorial waters where it was shot down."
But the Pentagon published a map showing the flight path of the drone, which indicated it traveled outside of Iranian waters and included a photograph showing it was at the coordinates (25°57'42"N 56°50'22"E) when it was downed.
In a letter to the UN Security Council and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Iran protested against a "dangerous and provocative act by the US military forces against the territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran."
The drone downing came as Iran was already accused by Washington of carrying out attacks on oil tankers in the congested Hormuz area.
Tehran denies being behind the attacks but has frequently threatened to block the sea lanes used by shipping to move much of the world's oil exports.
The commander of the US Naval Forces Central Command, Sean Kido, said that a mine allegedly used in one of the attacks matched Iranian weaponry and that incriminating fingerprints had also been collected.
OPTIONS 'RUNNING OUT?'
Trump has repeatedly said he does not favor war with Iran unless it is to stop the country getting a nuclear weapon - something Iranian leaders insist they are not pursuing.
But Trump critics say his policy of "maximum pressure" - including crippling economic sanctions, abandonment of an international deal to regulate Iran's nuclear activities, and deployment of extra troops to the region - make war ever more likely.
A key Republican ally of Trump, Senator Lindsey Graham, said the president's "options are running out."
Asked if he believed the countries were nearing conflict, he replied: "I think anybody would believe that we're one step closer."
"They shot down an American asset well within international waters trying to assess the situation. What are you supposed to do?"
One of Trump's biggest opponents, the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, warned that "there's no appetite for wanting to go to war in our country."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanayahu blasted "Iranian aggression" and said "Israel stands by the United States."
But Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has close relations with Iran's leadership, said that US military retaliation against Iran "would be a disaster for the region."
DIPLOMATIC, MILITARY BRINKMANSHIP
Trump's arrival in the White House, alongside veteran Mideast hawks like his national security adviser John Bolton, has seen sharp deterioration in relations with Tehran.
Trump began last May by abandoning - and effectively wrecking - a 2015 international agreement on bringing Iran in from the diplomatic cold in exchange for verified controls on its nuclear industry.
That has prompted Iran to threaten it will stop observing restrictions agreed to under the deal on enrichment of uranium.
The threat has been seen as an effort to pressure European governments that want to save the nuclear deal to push back against Washington. The US State Department called that "extortion."
Source: AFP/de
Tagged Topics

• Strait of Hormuz
• spy drone
• territorial waters
• missile strike
• Global Hawk

 

[syed putra]

Oil pruce going up will benefit the US, but will not benefit iran as they face trade embargo by US unless china keeps buying their oil at a hefty discount and in yuan.
I would expect iran to cancel their airplane orders from boeing and airbus and buy comac C-919 soon.

 

[KuanTi01]

Brave Iran! It dares to stand up against a superpower international bully. Respect!

 

[rotiprata]

tis type fuck up spying technology... no wonder hua wei got black listed..

 

[congo9]

How can a Ang MO Drone be shoot down by a Iranian made missile?

Ang MO is usually more powerful.

 

[whoami]

As usual. Thru lies and deceits US will fool the world once again tat Iran started "terrorist" act on US/Saud. Hope Russia will sell S400 to Iran.

 

[whoami]

Haha...now US takut bankrupt. Urged India not to follow Turkey in purchasing S400 from Russia.

https://sputniknews-com.cdn.ampproj...6211076011336-us-india-russian-s-400-systems/

 

[rotiprata]

USA 0 - IRAN 1..... the fat tecko trump scored an own goal..
IRAN is not IRAQ …. the fucking amercians better get this into their bran

 

[whoami]

USA 0 - IRAN 1..... the fat tecko trump scored an own goal..
IRAN is not IRAQ …. the fucking amercians better get this into their bran

The persians will activate followers of saidina Hussein r.a. They will fight or die as matyr! US soldiers will perish like barbequed katak!

 

[Tony Tan]

Now Allah can missile Dotard's warships & aircraft carriers also Dotard Lan-Lan!

 

[Tony Tan]

 

[Tony Tan]

Now Allah can nuke Jews in Israeli, Dotard Lan-Lan!

 

[rotiprata]

The persians will activate followers of saidina Hussein r.a. They will fight or die as matyr! US soldiers will perish like barbequed katak!

tecko T said "he aborted the retaliatory strike to save iranian lives.... woh" ..

 

[whoami]

tecko T said "he aborted the retaliatory strike to save iranian lives.... woh" ..

Haha...US lost to Persia during Iraq vs Iran war. Now the Hussein followers are even stronger in spirit/strength. US can try second attempt. No need coffins. They will be blown to pieces/drowned.

 

[tun_dr_m]

I want to clearly point out something very obvious, but which most people LOVE TO NEGLECT!

Sanctions etc = BULL SHIT NO EFFECTIVENESS! FORGET ABOUT IT TOTALLY!

Sanction NK ==>> made plenty nukes and Dotard had to go kiss Kim Jong Nuke Ass!

Sanction Iran ==>> made just the same! Nuke detonation will come soon! Dotard have to go kiss Allah's Ass soon!

Jews will get nuked soon!

Sanction Si Mi Lan Jiao?

 

[syed putra]

Thise underground missile bunkers can be destroyed using " mother of all bombs".