President Barack Obama on Monday acknowledged a US drone was in Iranian hands for the first time and said the United States has asked Tehran to return the sophisticated spycraft.
“We’ve asked for it back. We’ll see how the Iranians respond,” Obama said at a news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al Maliki.
It was the first open confirmation by the Obama administration that Iran was in possession of the drone, which Tehran says it brought down as the plane was flying over the country’s territory.
Obama, however, shed no further light on the plane’s mission or why it failed to return to a base in Afghanistan.
“With respect to the drone inside of Iran, I’m not going to comment on intelligence matters that are classified,” he said.
The bat-winged RQ-170 Sentinel, designed to evade radar for surveillance flights, was on a CIA mission when it went missing, US officials, speaking anonymously, have said previously.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 13th, 2011.
COMMENTS (14)
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The Iranians have now shown that they can take down anything the Americans throw at them. And reading between the lines it seems they now have the full covert support of Russia and China, with whose help they probably captured the Drone. I think Obama is just saying this to sound tough before his people and make Iran seem like the bad guy. This isnt hard to do since the American public are so biased against Iran that they'll overlook their country breaking international law by violating Iranian airspace and instead hate Iran even more for not returning the drone like any spineless client of the US would have done.
Obomba should be begging the Iranians, not demanding.
@zavia:
I know the ummah is feeling pretty smug, but, I feel something bad is going to happen in Iran
lolzzzz ,,,, or wat exactly does da US plan do ??? ..... another UN sanction .... shameful
How shameful is this. American President is begging to Iran.
Another May 2 like operation in the offing for Iran.. First they humiliated Pakistan and now they will humiliate Iran
@R S JOHAR: International court of injustice will never give a ruling against US.... what is hypocrisy in not returning the drone!!!
Height of hypocrisy!!! Iran should have taken up the case of its air space violation by US to the International Court.
another fact-----
The USA spends 1.3 billion per year spying on allied countries.
What a trustworthy friend USA is!
Sir,what was it doing in Iran,in the first place?
Mr. Obama If you didn't want Iran to take your toys, then play in your own back yard. What did they teach you in Kindergarden?
Why asking? Has American leadership any morality? You intrude in other countries and if someone dares to resist, you shamelessly demand return of your downed planes!
When will Iran, Pakistan , China and Russia unite and teach this rogue American administration a lesson!! American people are also tired of the extravagant expenditure on expeditions abroad - getting nothing but dead bags!