Iran says it refrained from shooting down US plane with 35 crew members

Published 2019-06-21 11:46:54

Updated 2026-02-03 20:19:25

Iran said it refrained from shooting down a US plane flying in the vicinity of the downed RQ-4 drone, according to Iran’s commander of the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps, Amir Ali Hajizadeh.

"While we were tracking the spy drone there was also a P-8 spy plane with 35 crew on board which we could have shot at, but we did not do so," Hajizadeh said on Friday.

Hajizadeh went on to say: "Last week the Americans said that Iranian forces had tried to shoot and destroy an American drone. If we wanted to destroy that drone we could have done so at that time.”

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Monika Walker

Monika Walker is a senior journalist specializing in regional and international politics, offering in-depth analysis on governance, diplomacy, and key global developments. With a degree in International Journalism, she is dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices through factual reporting. She also covers world news across every genre, providing readers with balanced and timely insights that connect the Caribbean to global conversations.