Iran Says Finds Crashed US Spy Drones

Iran Says Finds Crashed US Spy Drones


Iran has found the wreckage of two U.S. unmanned spy planes on its
territory in recent months, Tehran said , accusing Washington of
violating its sovereignty through illegal overflights.

Iran "strongly protests against such unlawful acts and emphasizes
the necessity to observe the principles of international law
concerning the sanctity of the sovereignty and territorial integrity
of states," its Foreign Ministry said.

The Pentagon had no immediate comment to the protest, which came in
letters to the U.S. government written months ago but only made
public at the United Nations on Monday.

They described the crash of a Shadow 200 RQ-7 drone in Ilam Province
last July 4, 36 miles (60 kms) from the border, and of a Hermes
drone in the Khoram Abad area on Aug. 25, found 120 miles (200 kms)
inside Iranian territory.

An investigation found that both of the unmanned aircraft were
American, the Foreign Ministry said. Its letters were delivered to
the Swiss Embassy in Tehran for transmission to U.S. authorities as
Iran has no diplomatic ties with the United States.

U.S. President George W. Bush once branded Iran as a part of
an "axis of evil" pursuing weapons of mass destruction along with
Iraq and North Korea. His administration has accused Tehran for more
than two years of pursuing nuclear weapons under the guise of a
peaceful nuclear energy program.