Iranian Surveillance Drone Defies US Sabotage Reports, Completes Mission

By Staff, Agencies

An Iranian Armed Forces patrol and surveillance drone completed its mission in international waters amid reports that United States forces attempted to down a similar aircraft.

The report said the drones were primarily tasked with monitoring military movements in areas surrounding Iran, with surveillance data transmitted to and received by ground bases in real time.

An informed source identified the aircraft as a Shahed-129 drone, commenting on English-language media reports that a US aircraft targeted an Iranian drone over the USS Abraham Lincoln.

"The Shahed-129 drone was conducting its routine and legal mission of reconnaissance, monitoring, and imaging in international waters. This is considered a standard and lawful procedure," it noted.

The source added that the drone successfully transmitted its surveillance and reconnaissance footage to the command center.

Communication was, however, subsequently lost, it added, saying the cause of this disconnection was currently under investigation, and that further details would be released once finalized.

Earlier, CENTCOM had announced in a statement that it had targeted an Iranian drone to “protect” its troops. The statement alleged that CENTCOM had no intention of escalating tensions and acted solely in “self-defense.”

Amid US military buildup and threats, Iran’s Supreme Leader, His Eminence Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei warned that any American attack would spark a regional war, stressing that such posturing will not intimidate the nation.