Iran Rejected Reports About Iranian Drone

• 02.10.2018, 17:09
•  Region,  Near East,  World

The Iran Project

 Iran, Israel’s regional arch-enemy, rejected as “ridiculous” reports that Israel had intercepted an Iranian drone launched from Syria on Saturday, Reuters reports.

Separately, a Revolutionary Guards’ official said he could not confirm the report because Israelis were “liars”.

Israel said it launched air strikes against air defences and Iranian targets in Syria on Saturday and the Syrian army claimed to have hit an Israeli F-16 that crashed in northern Israel in a major escalation of tension.

“Reports of downing an Iranian drone flying over Israel and also Iran’s involvement in attacking an Israeli jet are so ridiculous,” state TV quoted Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi as saying.

Shi‘ite-dominated Iran is Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s main regional ally and denies having any conventional armed forces in Syria, though it has acknowledged having military advisers and volunteers from its elite Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in Syria.

“Iran only provides military advice to Syria based on the request of the country’s legitimate government,” Qasemi said.

The Israeli military said the F-16 jet crashed during a mission to strike Iranian drone installations in Syria, where Iranian and Iran-backed forces have established a major foothold while fighting in support of Assad.