Iran Summons Swiss Envoy over US Drone Airspace Violation
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned Switzerland’s ambassador to Tehran to voice the country’s strong protest about the violation of the Iranian airspace by an American spy drone that was shot down by an Iranian missile over the Strait of Hormuz.
The Foreign Ministry summoned the Swiss diplomat, whose country represents the US interests in the Islamic Republic, to convey Iran’s protest, the ministry said on Friday.
Earlier on Thursday night, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Seyed Abbas Araqchi had made an emergency phone call with the Swiss envoy over the US aggression against the Iranian territory.
“There is undeniable evidence that the drone was in the Islamic Republic of Iran’s airspace, and even some parts of the drone’s wreckage have been retrieved from Iran’s territorial waters,” Araqchi stated.
He further reiterated that the Islamic Republic does not seek war or conflicts in the Persian Gulf region, adding that however, any unwarranted action by US forces against the Iranian territory will be responded decisively by the country.
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said on Thursday that a US spy drone that violated the Iranian territorial airspace in the early hours of the day was shot down by the IRGC Aerospace Force’s air defense unit near the Kooh-e-Mobarak region in the southern province of Hormozgan.
The intruding drone was reportedly shot by Iran’s homegrown air defense missile system “Khordad-3rd”.
In comments made a few hours after the incident, IRGC Commander Major General Hossein Salami said the shooting down of the US aircraft had a straightforward message that any foreign intrusion into Iran’s sovereign territories would draw a crushing response.
“The downing of the US drone had an explicit, decisive and clear message that defenders of the Islamic Iran’s borders will show decisive and knockout reactions to aggression against this territory by any alien,” he said.
“Borders are our redline, and any enemy violating these borders will not go back,” the commander underlined.
He also made it clear that Iran is not seeking war with any country but is fully prepared for any confrontation. “Today’s incident was a clear sign of such a precise message.”
The general also reminded the enemies that the only way for them to remain safe is to respect Iran’s territorial integrity, national security and vital interests.