Iran Claims Shootdown Of U.S. Drone In Its Airspace
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed it shot down a United States MQ-9 Reaper surveillance drone and fired on a U.S. F-35 fighter jet and an RQ-4 drone operating in the Persian Gulf region on Monday, describing the incidents as a response to what it called violations of Iranian airspace during an active ceasefire.
The IRGC said in a statement carried by Tasnim News Agency that its air defence units intercepted and destroyed the MQ-9 after it entered Iranian airspace, adding that its forces also fired on the F-35 and the RQ-4, forcing both aircraft to retreat.
“The terrorist U.S. army entered Iranian airspace in the Persian Gulf region, and the IRGC air defence units shot down an MQ-9 drone,” the statement said, adding that its forces “also fired at an RQ-4 drone and the invading F-35 fighter jet, forcing them to flee.”
The IRGC described the U.S. military activity as “interventionist adventures” and a violation of the ceasefire agreement, vowing a firm response to any further incursions into Iranian airspace.
The United States has not issued an official response to Monday’s specific claims. Throughout the conflict, U.S. Central Command has frequently denied IRGC claims of damage to American aircraft, though it has on occasion acknowledged losses in separate terms, as it did when an F-35 struck by suspected Iranian fire earlier in the war made an emergency landing at a U.S. base in the region.
Monday’s incident comes as diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran over a final nuclear agreement and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz continue, with both sides publicly committed to the ceasefire while each accusing the other of provocations.
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The IRGC Navy had previously warned that any attack on Iranian oil tankers or commercial vessels would be met with a heavy assault on U.S. forces and bases in the region, signalling that tensions on the ground have not eased despite the diplomatic activity.
The MQ-9 Reaper is a high-endurance American surveillance and strike drone that Iran has claimed to have downed multiple times since the start of the conflict in February 2026.