Iran
accuses US Navy of ‘illegal acts’ in Gulf
RT,
24
November, 2012
Iran
has blamed the US Navy for “illegal and provocative acts” near
its coastline, including violations of country’s airspace. 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 US drone
crossed into Iranian airspace on
November 1,
despite radio warnings.
Tehran
urged Ban to warn the US 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
White House did not immediately comment on the allegations.
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
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.
The
US maintains a keen interest in Iranian secrets due to the
long-running rivalry for influence in the region between the two
nations. Washington , along with its enduring ally Israel, claim that
Tehran is trying to secretly build a nuclear weapon under the guise
of a civilian nuclear program. Iran has steadfastly denied the
accusations.
In
a bid to stop enrichment of uranium by the Islamic Republic, the US
and its allies have levied crippling economic sanctions against the
country over the last year, damaging Iran’s energy exports. There
were also speculations of a possible military attack on Iranian
nuclear facilities by Israel.
Tehran
threatened to use its navy to block the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial
naval shipping route for oil, in response to such an attack. The US
has already further built up its already considerable military
strength in the region, saying it is prepared to counteract any
Iranian blockade of the strait.
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