Iranian Foreign Ministry lambastes Obama’s request for drone

PanARMENIAN.Net - Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast lambasted U.S. President Barack Obama for asking Tehran to send back the U.S. RQ-170 Sentinel stealth aircraft that violated Iran's airspace and was downed by the Iranian Armed Forces in Eastern Iran earlier this month.

"It seems that he (Obama) forgot that Iran's air space has been violated for spying purposes, international laws have been infringed and Iran's internal affairs have been interfered," Mehman-Parast told journalists during his weekly press conference in Tehran on Tuesday, Fars News Agency reported.

"The U.S. should know that such measures can endanger the international peace and security and it should accept its responsibility and its consequences," he added.

Mehman-Parast also voiced surprise at the U.S. administration's demand, reminding that the U.S. should have apologized for violating the Iranian airspace and carrying out espionage operations against the interests of the Iranian nation, instead.

U.S. President Obama following a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki at the White House called on the Iranian government to send back the U.S. spy drone.

"We have asked for it back. We'll see how the Iranians respond," Obama said.

Obama's comments were the first official confirmation that the United States had asked for the return of the RQ-70 drone that was downed by Iran over a week ago.