Iran FM Rejects Handing Over Downed Drone To US

Tehran, Dec 18, IRNA – Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi rejected handing over of drowned US drone to the US Administration. In an exclusive interview with IRNA, Salehi said Iran was presently in possession of the US drone and the Supreme National Security Council was to decide about its fate. He also dismissed claims that Iran enjoyed help from foreign countries to crash land the super-modern aircraft. He said Iran intentionally declined from making the news public to monitor the reaction of American officials. He noted that whether or not the US was willing to admit, Iranian armed forces managed to make the advanced air vehicle to land with the slightest damage. Salehi said the US has already sent a message to Iran through the Swiss embassy in Tehran which acts as its interest section to request the return of the drone which was met with Iran’s clear response. The US was raising certain claims which sounded ridiculous, he said, adding that since the United Nations missions were carried under the logo and label of the organization Washington’s claims in this regard were completely baseless, hollow and senseless. He said this was an attempt on the part of the United States to pave the ground for a new phase of its antagonistic operations. He stressed that the Iranian nation will certainly follow up this clear case of “invasion” and defends the rights of the nation. According to the foreign minister, Iran has already submitted a protest letter to the United Nations secretary-general, Organization of the Islamic Cooperation and Non-aligned Movement. He also advised Iran’s neighboring countries not to let the US and its allies use their territories against Iran because it was regarded as a “non-friendly” action. He said after the crash landing of the drone, Iran summoned Afghanistan’s ambassador to Tehran to urge Kabul not to let its soil used by the US air vehicles against Iran again. Turning to the issue of Turkey’s consent to host the NATO radar system on its borders with Iran, Salehi said Iran has always voiced its protest regarding the issue to the Turk officials and they said the system was not intended to target Iran. Stressing that more details are to be provided to Iran by Turkish officials soon, he said contrary to what Ankara said, the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has stated that the radar system definitely targets Iran. He said Iran is asking Turkey to get into consideration the sensitivities of its neighbors. Salehi said in addition to Iran, other countries like Russia too are protesting the installation of the system in Turkey. Asked to comment on the recent short visit to Russia of Secretary of the Supreme National Seucrity Council Saeed Jalili, he said the visit had nothing to do with the downed US drone. He said since Moscow has always been keen about regional developments, Jalili travelled to Russia to discuss the issues there./end