TEHRAN – In addition to waging “economic terrorism” against Iran, the United States is now invading the Iranian territory, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned on Friday.

“The U.S. wages economic terrorism on Iran, has conducted covert action against us and now encroaches on our territory,” Zarif tweeted. 

The tweet by Zarif came after the U.S. Global Hawk surveillance drone violated the Iranian airspace early on Thursday and was shot down by the IRGC Air Force in the southern coastal province of Hormozgan.

Zarif said, “We don't seek war, but will zealously defend our skies, land and waters.”

In a statement on Thursday, the IRGC said the spy drone had flown from one of the American bases in the southern parts of the Persian Gulf region at 00:14 a.m. local time, with its identification transponders off in breach of all international aviation rules.

The drone had stealthily continued on the route from the Strait of Hormuz towards Iran’s port city of Chabahar, the IRGC said.

The United States has claimed that the drone was operating in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz. 

However, Zarif refuted the claim, saying, “We'll take this new aggression to the UN and show that the U.S. is lying about international waters.”

The foreign minister said Iran has found parts of the downed drone in its territorial waters.
“We've retrieved sections of the U.S. military drone in OUR territorial waters where it was shot down,” Zarif explained.

PA/PA