Iran deputy FM: US downed ‘own’ drone ‘by mistake’

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi denied on Friday that Iran had lost a drone in the Strait of Hormuz after the United States said that a US Navy ship had “destroyed” an Iranian drone.

“We have not lost any drone in the Strait of Hormuz nor anywhere else. I am worried that USS Boxer has shot down their own UAS [Unmanned Aerial System] by mistake!” Araqchi said on Twitter, referring to a US warship in the strategic waterway.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the drone had flown to within 1,000 yards (914 meters) of the USS Boxer and had ignored “multiple calls to stand down” in the latest episode to stir tensions in the Gulf.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said earlier on Friday he was not aware of any downing of an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz, after President Donald Trump said a US Navy ship had “destroyed” one.