Iranupdated 1h ago2 min read
Archive photo · 6 December 2018IRGC Aerospace Force Downs Two US MQM-170 Drones South of Qeshm Island in Strait of Hormuz
2 West Asian1 Asian1 Western Alternative1 Western MainstreamPhoto: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC / US federal government, Public domain · Cropped for layout
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IRGC says it downed two US MQM-170 drones south of Qeshm Island using electronic warfare. IRGC Aerospace Force destroyed a US MQ-9 east of the Strait of Hormuz.
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5 outlets told this the same way.
Two drones downed
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force said it downed two US MQM-170 reconnaissance drones south of Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz using electronic warfare systems. The IRGC said the action brought the number of captured drones of that model to four. Tasnim said the operation prevented the drones from completing their missions, and the report provided no other operational details.
The US military rejected Iran’s account of Thursday’s incident, according to the Anadolu Ajansı report. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Monday that the two countries were continuing to exchange messages through mediators.
MQ-9 intercepted
The IRGC Aerospace Force also announced that it intercepted and destroyed a US MQ-9 drone east of the Strait of Hormuz. "The 55th advanced MQ-9 drone was tracked and brought down over the airspace east of the Strait of Hormuz". The Aerospace Force brought the interception down by operating under the country's unified air defense network.
Vance told Fox News in Minnesota, "The President and I both feel pretty good about the prospects for potentially coming to a negotiated settlement." Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was prepared for both diplomacy and military confrontation, warning that any renewed military action would invite a stronger response.
Diplomacy and conditions
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei maintained that responsibility for advancing negotiations rested with the United States, reiterating Tehran's demand for an end to the US naval blockade. The claims came amid heightened military tensions between Washington and Tehran, even as both sides indicated diplomatic efforts towards a possible settlement were continuing. The report followed two similar Iranian announcements last week, including an IRNA report of an MQM-170 drone downed over Qeshm Island.
The IRGC Navy seized control of another drone of the same type in the western Strait of Hormuz and landed it intact. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi visited Doha to facilitate exchanges through Qatari mediation.