CFR Update: Pentagon Claims Iran Fired on U.S. Drone

Top of the Agenda: Pentagon Claims Iran Fired on U.S. Drone

Pentagon officials said Thursday that Iranian fighter planes shot at an unarmed U.S. drone conducting surveillance in international airspace east of Kuwait last week in an air attack (CNN) that could raise military tensions in the region. Congress was briefed on the incident November 2, although President Barack Obama did not disclose (WSJ) the event ahead of the presidential election. Although Iran and its state media was initially mum about the allegations, a senior armed forces commander responded on Friday (Reuters) by saying Tehran would deal "decisively with any foreign encroachment into its airspace." The fighter jets reportedly belonged to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Analysis

"Given the magnitude of these kinds of accusations – their obvious ability, if not intent, to bolster animosity on the part of the US public toward Iran and heighten tensions between the two nations – shouldn't CNN at least pretend to be a bit more skeptical and even-handed about how it is reporting these claims?" writes Glenn Greenwald for the Guardian.

"Despite the sabre-rattling that has accompanied US-Iran relations in recent months, there is some optimism in Washington that President Barack Obama's re-election could create the political space to restart negotiations over Iran's nuclear program. However, Iran will also face presidential elections next summer, which could complicate the situation," writes Geoff Dyer for the Financial Times.

"The U.S. is believed to keep up regular surveillance of Iran's borders and even inside its territory – last December, a top-secret Air Force drone believed to be operating from Afghanistan was said to have crashed more than 100 miles inside Iran's eastern border. American officials insisted the drone crashed after its operators lost contact with it, but Iranian leaders boasted they had brought the aircraft down themselves," writes Kate Brannen for Politico.