IRGC: Downing of US Drone Sends ’a Clear Message’

YemenExtra

M.A.

Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said shooting down on Thursday of a US drone by his forces had a straightforward message that any foreign intrusion into Iran’s sovereign territories would draw a crushing response.

Addressing a conference on Thursday, Major General Hossein Salami said, “At dawn today, the IRGC’s Air Force bravely downed a US spy drone, which had intruded our border, violating our national security. This is how the Iranian nation deals with its enemies.”

The IRGC’s chief said Iranian frontiers are “our red line,” and that the downing of the American drone sent a “transparent and firm message” that the defenders of Iranian borders would react to any act of aggression by any outsider with a “decisive and final” strike.

He reaffirmed that Iran is not seeking war with anyone, but stands fully ready to firmly respond to any aggression.

Tensions have been running between Iran and the US in recent weeks, with Washington stepping up its provocative military moves in the Middle East.

Last month, Washington dispatched an aircraft carrier strike group, a bomber task force, and an amphibious assault ship to the Persian Gulf, citing an alleged Iranian threat.

On Monday, the Pentagon announced that the US will send 1,000 additional US forces and more military resources to the Middle East.

Tehran believes the US has a hand in a set of suspicious regional incidents in recent weeks, such as the June 13 attacks against oil tankers in the Sea of Oman, in a bid to pin the blame on Iran and put more pressure on the country.

Last week, UN sources revealed that the United States was planning to carry out a “tactical assault” on an Iranian nuclear facility in response to the alleged Iranian role in the tanker attacks.

Source: Iranian Agencies