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| Iran Says It Shot Down an Israeli Drone | Iran Says It Shot Down an Israeli Drone |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| TEHRAN — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said Sunday that it had shot down an Israeli drone as it was heading toward the Iranian nuclear enrichment site in Natanz, local news media reported. | TEHRAN — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said Sunday that it had shot down an Israeli drone as it was heading toward the Iranian nuclear enrichment site in Natanz, local news media reported. |
| “A spy drone of the Zionist regime was intercepted by a surface-to-air missile,” the state Islamic Republic News Agency said, quoting a statement by the public relations department of the Revolutionary Guards. “The vigilant reaction of our defense system downed this drone before it could reach the skies over Natanz.” | “A spy drone of the Zionist regime was intercepted by a surface-to-air missile,” the state Islamic Republic News Agency said, quoting a statement by the public relations department of the Revolutionary Guards. “The vigilant reaction of our defense system downed this drone before it could reach the skies over Natanz.” |
| No evidence was provided. Israeli officials declined to comment on the report. | |
| The report followed an announcement by President Hassan Rouhani in which he unveiled Iran’s new, locally produced missiles and drones. In his speech on Sunday, Mr. Rouhani emphasized that the new weaponry was for defensive and deterrence purposes only. | The report followed an announcement by President Hassan Rouhani in which he unveiled Iran’s new, locally produced missiles and drones. In his speech on Sunday, Mr. Rouhani emphasized that the new weaponry was for defensive and deterrence purposes only. |
| “Some think we are making these to throw on the enemy’s head,” Mr. Rouhani said, referring to the new additions to Iran’s arsenal, in an excerpt from his speech quoted by the state news agency. “No. Of course, if one day it is necessary, we may do it, but the reason for making them is to prevent war.” | “Some think we are making these to throw on the enemy’s head,” Mr. Rouhani said, referring to the new additions to Iran’s arsenal, in an excerpt from his speech quoted by the state news agency. “No. Of course, if one day it is necessary, we may do it, but the reason for making them is to prevent war.” |
| In recent weeks, Iranian officials have said that they will never give up the country’s extensive missile programs. Such statements are apparently aimed at the demands believed to have been made by world powers during talks aimed at seeking a compromise with Iran over its nuclear program. | In recent weeks, Iranian officials have said that they will never give up the country’s extensive missile programs. Such statements are apparently aimed at the demands believed to have been made by world powers during talks aimed at seeking a compromise with Iran over its nuclear program. |
| Iranian officials often point out that they have never started a war and are surrounded by enemies; the report about Iran’s claim that it had downed an Israeli drone fits their narrative of a nation besieged by outside forces. | Iranian officials often point out that they have never started a war and are surrounded by enemies; the report about Iran’s claim that it had downed an Israeli drone fits their narrative of a nation besieged by outside forces. |
| Although Iran often engages in propaganda for domestic purposes, foreign drones, especially American ones, do fly over Iranian airspace. In 2011, the Revolutionary Guards said that they had hacked an American-operated RQ-170 and forced it to land in the desert near the Iranian city of Tabas. The drone was shown here on state television, and American officials later acknowledged that a drone operated by the Central Intelligence Agency had been lost over Iran during a surveillance mission over the country’s nuclear facilities. American officials said the drone had crashed after a technical malfunction. | Although Iran often engages in propaganda for domestic purposes, foreign drones, especially American ones, do fly over Iranian airspace. In 2011, the Revolutionary Guards said that they had hacked an American-operated RQ-170 and forced it to land in the desert near the Iranian city of Tabas. The drone was shown here on state television, and American officials later acknowledged that a drone operated by the Central Intelligence Agency had been lost over Iran during a surveillance mission over the country’s nuclear facilities. American officials said the drone had crashed after a technical malfunction. |