Iran Guards shoot down Western spy drones
IRAN: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have shot down two “Western
spy” drones in the Gulf, the Fars news agency quoted a top commander of
the elite military force as saying on Sunday.
“Westerners have a series of capabilities which cannot be ignored,
especially satellites, or for example they have spy planes which can
take pictures in some places,” Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the air force
wing of the Guards said.
He said that the drones were mainly being used in Iraq and
Afghanistan but “some violations against our soil” have also occurred.
“And we have so far downed many of their advanced spy planes. In the
Persian Gulf, we have downed two of their (spy) planes and this is the
first time that we are saying it,” Hajizadeh said without specifying
when exactly the drones were shot down.
He also boasted that all “enemy” bases in the region were within
range of Iranian missiles, referring to arch-foe the United States. He
said that even the aircraft carriers deployed in the region were no
longer a threat to Iran.
“There was a time when an aircraft carrier was something to rely on
and when they told a country that this warship was moving towards your
shore, the government of that country would be toppled,” Hajizadeh said.
“But now this has become a threat for them. We have full control of
our enemies. We notice whatever changes taking place on our shores.
When they go on alert in the warships or when they put on life
jackets to launch boats in the sea, we are aware of that.”
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, was set up as a force to defend the
1979 Islamic revolution from internal and external threats.
Washington imposed fresh sanctions against the Guards last month in a
bid to ramp up pressure on Tehran over a nuclear program that Iran says
is entirely peaceful, but world powers suspect is aimed at building an
atomic bomb.
The US placed sanctions on entities linked to the Guards which
included former energy minister and guards member Parviz Fattah. The
Treasury Department also sanctioned Liner Transport Kish, for “providing
material support, including weapons to Lebanese Hezbollah” on behalf of
the Guards.
Guards’ commanders have repeatedly boasted of the their force’s
capabilities and delivered warnings to regional foe Israel, which like
the United States, has not ruled out a military strike to prevent Iran
acquiring a nuclear weapons capability.
The US navy’s Fifth Fleet is based in Bahrain, just across the Gulf
from Iran. Iranian commanders have repeatedly threatened to block
navigation through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which links the Gulf
to the Indian Ocean, if it comes under attack.
Sixty percent of the world’s oil supplies pass through the Strait of
Hormuz.
The US military and Central Intelligence Agency regularly use drones
to launch missile strikes in Afghanistan and in Pakistan’s lawless
tribal belt, but do not generally confirm attacks.
The drone strikes are deeply unpopular among the Pakistani public but
the United States says the strikes have killed a number of high-value
targets.
Tehran, Monday, AFP |