Iran and US in new spy planes row

Iran said today that the two US pilotless spy planes it claimed to have shot down were hit outside of Iran’s air space.

The semi-official Fars news agency quoted General Gholam Ali Rashid, acting chief of the country’s armed forces, as saying “the planes were shot down outside of Iran’s airspace”.

Gen Rashid did not say why Iran targeted the planes even though they were not in the country’s air space.

On Saturday, Iran said it had determined the two aircraft were operated by the US after earlier this month announcing their downing.

The US Navy’s 5th Fleet, which is based in the Gulf, said at the time that it had no reports of any aircraft downed recently.

Iran originally said the planes were violating its air space.