Iran files complaint with UN over U.S. Navy’s illegal acts in Persian Gulf

TEHRAN,Nov.26(MNA) – Iran has blamed the U.S. Navy for “illegal and provocative acts” near its coastline, including violations of country’s airspace, according to RT. Formal accusations of these charges were filed with both the UN chief and the UN Security Council. The two identical letters to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the UNSC were delivered on Friday by Iran’s envoy to the United Nations, Ambassador Mohammad Khazaee. He cited several incidents of reported unauthorized flights over the coastal regions around Bushehr in October, where a Russian-built nuclear power plant is located. Khazaee also said that a U.S. drone crossed into Iranian airspace on November 1, despite radio warnings. Tehran urged Ban to warn the U.S. against “the continuation of acts in violation of international law and of the adverse consequences of any provocative and dangerous acts for which the United States government would be held responsible.” The November 1 incident, the latest mentioned in the complaint, involved two Iranian fighter jets shooting at an American Predator drone. The unmanned aircraft was performing a reconnaissance mission over the Persian Gulf, and returned safely to base after the encounter. The Pentagon insisted that their aircraft was in international airspace when the Iranian jets engaged it, and that the drone remained over the international waters while in flight. Tehran contested that account, claiming the drone violated its airspace. Last year, Iran captured an American Sentinel spy drone inside Iranian territory. The capture was touted as a major victory by Tehran, while Western commentators voiced concerns that Iran would be able to study and replicate the drone’s secret stealth technology.