Tue, Dec 06, 2011
USAF Says No Evidence To Support Claim
The US military is dismissing the latest claim by Iran that it
has downed a US drone as a distraction tactic in the face of
growing international isolation. The Pentagon does say the US Air
Force lost control of an RQ-170 Sentinel reconnaissance and
surveillance drone over western Pakistan last week, but there is no
evidence it was shot down by Iran.
As it has done in other recent claims, the Iranian government
has used an alleged airspace violation to threaten retaliatory
action. The Al Alam state TV network quoted a military source as
saying, "Iran's military has downed an intruding RQ-170 American
drone in eastern Iran...The Iranian military's response to the
American spy drone's violation of our airspace will not be limited
to Iran's borders." In the past, Al Alam, an Arabic-language
outlet, has sometimes carried one message to local viewers while
media meant for foreign consumption has carried another.
Reuters notes the incident comes at a time when Tehran is trying
to quell growing international outrage over the storming of the
British embassy last week. That incident followed new British
sanctions on Iran's central bank in response to reports that Iran's
nuclear enrichment program is making strides. That embassy was
closed, Iranian diplomats were expelled from Britain, and Germany,
France and Spain have also recalled their ambassadors from
Iran.
Tensions remain as the US and Israel have hinted that military
action against Iran could be coming if the development of a nuclear
capability becomes a threat to Iran's neighbors. A measure passed
in the US Senate which would restrict Iranian oil exports has drawn
a warning from the Iran's foreign ministry that such a move could
push crude oil prices past $250 per barrel.
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