Jun 21, 2019, 5:28 PM

Iran refrained from targeting US aircraft with 35 on board flying alongside downed UAV

TEHRAN, Jun. 21 (MNA) – Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force said Fri. Iranian air defense system could have targeted an American P-8 military aircraft that was flying next to MQ-4C drone downed yesterday.

Speaking during a ceremony on Friday held to display wreckage of the downed US drone, the IRGC Aerospace Force Commander Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh said “the Americans ignored our warnings in addition to the fact that at the moment that the UAV was intercepted, another US military stealth aircraft dubbed P-8 was flying next to it with 35 personnel on board. We could have targeted that too, but we refrained.”

He also said that “as the Americans said last week that 'Iranians had fired at us and wanted to bring us down', that was actually a warning which they again ignored. If we had wanted to down their aircraft, we would have done that then and there.”

The IRGC Aerospace commander further noted that “Iran had objected to the US so many times, we fired warning shots but the Americans seem to be not caring about international regulations. Therefore, under such circumstances, it is clear that we would react.”

“We fulfilled our duty so will we in the future,” Hajizadeh further noted.

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News ID 146714