Iran has warned that it would deal firmly with any foreign invasions of its airspace, after the United States announced that Iranian aircraft attacked one of its drones flying over the Persian Gulf.
Reuters reported yesterday that on November 1, U.S. President Barack Obama and U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta were informed of the attack on the U.S. drone, and Washington has protested against the attack through diplomatic channels, saying the United States will continue to carry out reconnaissance flights in international airspace to protect shipments in the Persian Gulf.
Fars News reported today that General Massoud Jazayeri, Iran’s top military commander, has said: “The defenders of the Islamic Republic will respond decisively to any form of encroachment by air, sea or on the ground.”
The Pentagon reported that at 4:50 AM EST on November 1, two Iranian aircraft intercepted the American drone 16 nautical miles off the Iranian coast, shot at it twice and followed it for at least several miles.
