An Iranian official on Monday warned that more American drones can be taken down as tensions between Washington and Tehran remain heightened.
“Everyone saw the downing of the unmanned drone,” said Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi, reports the semi-official Tasnim news agency. “I can assure you that a crushing response can be repeated, and the enemy knows it.”
Downing of a #US drone by #Iran’s Air Defense System was a decisive response that “CAN BE REPEATED”: Commander of Iranian Navy Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi pic.twitter.com/l8e2j56xMY
— Tasnim News Agency (@Tasnimnews_EN) June 24, 2019
Last week, Iran shot down a U.S. drone, which Tehran insists was in Iranian airspace, but Washington says was over international waters.
The attack brought President Trump to the brink of retaliating before he called it off at the last minute over the death toll it would cause.
“We were cocked & loaded to retaliate last night on 3 different sights when I asked, how many will die. 150 people, sir, was the answer from a General. 10 minutes before the strike I stopped it, not proportionate to shooting down an unmanned drone,” he explained on Twitter. “I am in no hurry, our Military is rebuilt, new, and ready to go, by far the best in the world. Sanctions are biting & more added last night. Iran can NEVER have Nuclear Weapons, not against the USA, and not against the WORLD!”
....On Monday they shot down an unmanned drone flying in International Waters. We were cocked & loaded to retaliate last night on 3 different sights when I asked, how many will die. 150 people, sir, was the answer from a General. 10 minutes before the strike I stopped it, not....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2019
....proportionate to shooting down an unmanned drone. I am in no hurry, our Military is rebuilt, new, and ready to go, by far the best in the world. Sanctions are biting & more added last night. Iran can NEVER have Nuclear Weapons, not against the USA, and not against the WORLD!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2019
A new round of U.S. sanctions on Iran is expected to be announced on Monday.