Iran: We Have Warned Foreign Reconnaissance Aircraft

The spokesman for the Iranian Air Defense Headquarters announced during an army exercise that on Sunday and Monday, "warnings were issued multiple times to reconnaissance aircraft of foreign forces near the country's FIR borders, some of which were U-2 type." This military commander also stated that some of these aircraft were of the U-2 type. According to reports, the U-2 aircraft is a "long-range reconnaissance" plane manufactured by Lockheed Martin in the United States. According to Tasnim News Agency, Amir Shahram emphasized on Tuesday, December 1, that "part of the equipment, weapons, and missile and radar systems of the Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Headquarters, consisting of the defensive capabilities of the armed forces in the exercise area, are ready to carry out missions." Iranian army commanders had previously announced an exercise scheduled from December 25 to January 1, covering an area of approximately "2 million and 200 thousand square kilometers." Farzad Ismaili, the commander of the Air Defense Headquarters, stated that all "foreign flights" will be monitored during the exercise. Habibollah Sayyari, the commander of the Navy, also mentioned the firing of "surface-to-surface, shore-to-sea, ground-to-air, and air-to-surface missiles" during this exercise, stating: "We have designated an area as a firing zone where torpedoes and missiles will be fired, and we will notify that foreigners should leave the area." Farzad Ismaili had previously reported on Sunday evening, December 7, about the "identification and missile warning" to a U-2 reconnaissance aircraft, which he claimed was a "sophisticated American spy plane," stating that this aircraft left Iranian airspace immediately after receiving the warning. Mr. Ismaili had also reported that on February 11, 2013, Iran issued an air warning to a U-2 reconnaissance aircraft in the general area of the Sea of Oman before it approached Iranian borders, and this aircraft moved away from Iran's borders. The Islamic Republic had also reported on December 4, 2011, about capturing and landing an American drone deep in Iranian territory, 225 kilometers from the border, with "minimal damage." Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported on November 10 about the "construction and flight of the final model of the Iranian RQ-170 drone," which he claimed was a copied model of the American drone. The U.S. Department of Defense, the Pentagon, stated on November 11 that the copied model of its unmanned aircraft "lacks significance and quality."