Envoy: Iran underlines its rights to defend
Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations Majid Takht-e Ravanchi that Iran in a letter to UN Chief has given exact information on the points to which the US has hit and emphasized that "we are not after war but will defend against any aggression".
At the early hours of Thursday, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) air force shot down an American spy drone, identified as RQ-4 Global Hawk that had violated Iranian airspace in the Kuh Mubarak (Mubarak Mountain) region located at Hormuzgan province, south of the country, the IRGC’s public relations department said in a statement.
RQ-4s typically fly at high altitude to conduct reconnaissance missions.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also in a message said: “At 00:14 US drone took off from UAE in stealth mode & violated Iranian airspace. It was targeted at 04:05 at the coordinates (25°59'43"N 57°02'25"E) near Kouh-e Mobarak.”
“We've retrieved sections of the US military drone in OUR territorial waters where it was shot down,” he added.
The full text of Takht-e Ravanchi’S letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is as follows:
Excellency,
Upon instructions from my Government, I am writing to inform you about another unlawful and yet a very dangerous and provocative act by the US military forces against the territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, at 00:14 hours local time on Thursday 20 June 2019, a US unmanned aircraft system, taken off from one of the bases of the U.S. military forces in the South of the Persian Gulf, conducted an overflight through the Strait of Hormuz to Chabahar port in a full stealth mode as it had turned off its identification equipment and engaged in a clear spying operation. When the aircraft was returning towards the western parts of the region near the Strait of Hormuz, despite repeated radio warnings, it entered into the Iranian airspace where the air defense system of the Islamic Republic of Iran, acting under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, targeted the intruding aircraft at 04:05 hours local time on the same date at the coordinates N255943 and E570225 near the Kouh-e Mobarak region in the central district of Jask in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Such a provocative act is a blatant violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, in particular its Article 2(4). Iran condemns, in the strongest possible terms, this irresponsible and provocative wrongful act by the United States, which entails its international responsibility.
While the Islamic Republic of Iran does not seek war, it reserves its inherent right, under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, to take all appropriate necessary measures against any hostile act violating its territory, and is determined to vigorously defend its land, sea and air.
This is not the first provocative act by the United States against Iran’s territorial integrity. It is reminded that in all such cases, the Islamic Republic of Iran has officially protested to the US through its interests section in the Embassy of Switzerland in Tehran.
The international community is called upon to demand the United States to put an end to its continued unlawful and destabilizing measures in the already volatile region of the Persian Gulf.
It would be highly appreciated if you could have the present letter issued as a document of the Security Council.
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
END