Iran urges UN to condemn U.S. drone aggression

Iran has urged the United Nations to condemn the violation of its air space by a U.S. drone and sought "clear and effective measures" to end such "dangerous and unlawful acts" against the country. Mohammad Khazaee, Iran's permanent representative to the UN, made the appeal in his letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. It was dated Dec. 8 and a copy was obtained by Xinhua on Thursday night. Another copy was sent to Vitaly Churkin, the Russian UN ambassador who holds the rotating UN Security Council presidency for December, and Nasser A. Al-Nasser, president of the 66th session of the UN General Assembly. "Upon instructions from my government, I have the honor to draw your kind attention to the provocative and covert operations against the Islamic Republic of Iran by the United States government, which have increased and intensified in recent months," said the letter. "In the continuation of such trend, recently, an American RQ-170 unmanned spy plane, bearing a specific serial number, violated Iran's air space," he said. "This plane flew 250 Kilometers deep into Iranian territory up to the northern region of the city of Tabas , where it faced prompt and forceful action by the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran." Tehran said it shot down the stealthy drone, and the Iranian envoy called such flights an "act of aggression and covert operation ... tantamount to an act of hostility." He said it was "not the only act of aggression and covert operation by the United States against the Islamic Republic of Iran." "My government emphasizes that this blatant and unprovoked air violation by the United States government is tantamount to an act of hostility against the Islamic Republic of Iran in clear contravention of international law, in particular, the basic tenets of the United Nations Charter," the letter said. "My government, hereby, calls for the condemnation of such acts of aggression and requests clear and effective measures to be taken to put an end to these dangerous and unlawful acts in line with the United Nations' responsibilities to maintain international and regional peace and security, in accordance with the letter and spirit of the United Nations Charter," said the single page diplomatic note. It asked the letter be circulated as an official document to the Security Council and the General Assembly. "The Iranian government expresses its strong protest over these violations and acts of aggression and warns against the destructive consequences of the recurrence of such acts," Khazaee said. "The Islamic Republic of Iran reserves its legitimate rights to take all necessary measures to protect its national sovereignty." Also on Thursday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned Swiss Ambassador to Tehran Livia Leu Agosti to protest the "violation" of its airspace by a U.S. drone, the state IRIB TV reported. The Swiss embassy in Tehran represents the U.S. interests in Iran since Tehran and Washington severed diplomatic relations in 1980. IRIB TV Thursday aired the footage that showed a U.S. drone shot down four days ago by Iranian troops in the eastern region. But U.S. officials denied the drone was brought down by Iran, insisting it crashed due to mechanical difficulties. P The RQ-170 drone is an unmanned aircraft which has been used for reconnaissance and surveillance by the United States in Afghanistan. Describing the hi-tech specifications of the downed aircraft, the Iranian Islamic Revolution Guards Corps' aerospace commander Brigadier General Amir-Ali Hajizadeh said military experts are well aware that the drone has very invaluable technological data. The drone, the technology of which has been used in B2 and F35 planes too, is equipped with highly advanced surveillance technology and electronic communication and radar systems, Hajizadeh said, adding that the drone is controlled both by satellite and stations based in Afghanistan and the Untied States.