Iran says Revolutionary Guard shot down U.S. droneJune 20, 2019 - 10:57 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard force said Thursday, June 20 it shot down a U.S. "spy drone" over its territory, Iranian state television reported, according to Al Jazeera. An anonymous U.S. official later told news agencies an American naval drone was downed over international airspace. "The U.S.-made Global Hawk surveillance drone was brought down" in the country's southern coastal province of Hormozgan, the Revolutionary Guard was quoted as saying by the English-language Press TV. "It was shot down when it entered Iran's airspace near the Kouhmobarak district in the south," the force's website said. State television did not provide images of the aircraft. The U.S. military initially denied the report. "There was no drone over Iranian territory," Navy Captain Bill Urban, a U.S. Central Command spokesman, told The Associated Press. He declined further comment. However an American official, speaking on condition of anonymity, later said a U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton drone was brought down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz. No further details were immediately available, including the time of the shootdown. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |