Iran’s Assembly of Experts Thanks IRGC for Downing US Spy Drone
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Assembly of Experts expressed its gratitude to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) for shooting down an advanced US spy drone over Iranian territorial waters in the Strait of Hormuz, describing the move as a small example of the Islamic Republic’s defense power.
“The downing of the ultra-advanced spy drone of the US by the powerful hands of the IRGC showed a small fraction of the Iranian Armed Forces’ power and advancement in the air defense industry,” the Assembly of Experts said in a statement on Saturday.
“It is also a fiasco and memorable lesson for criminal America and upset their military and technical equations,” it added.
“Undoubtedly, the Islamic Republic of Iran, with this legitimate defense of its geographical borders, actually used its legal rights as a fundamental principle; therefore, following up on this issue legally in international organizations and (pushing for) the US government to be held accountable for this aggression, is the legal right of the Islamic Republic Iran’s government,” the statement said.
The Assembly of Experts also expressed its gratitude for “the honorable move” by the IRGC Aerospace Force.
The 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.