(Photo courtesy of Anadolu)
ISTANBUL — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed Monday that it had brought down two US drones near Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz using electronic warfare systems.
Citing the IRGC, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that the operation was carried out by the IRGC Aerospace Force against two MQM-170 drones south of the island.
The latest incident reportedly brought to four the number of MQM-170 drones captured or intercepted by Iranian forces.
According to Tasnim, the electronic warfare operation prevented the aircraft from completing their missions. The report did not provide further operational details or independent evidence supporting the claims.
The announcement followed two similar incidents reported by Iranian authorities last week.
On Friday, the state-run IRNA news agency said the IRGC Aerospace Force had intercepted an MQM-170 drone over Qeshm Island through electronic warfare measures.
The previous day, the IRGC Navy claimed it had taken control of another drone of the same type in the western Strait of Hormuz and landed it intact.
However, the US military rejected Iran’s account of Thursday’s incident.
The latest claims come as Tehran and Washington continue indirect diplomatic communications aimed at managing tensions following months of military confrontation.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei confirmed Monday that the two countries were exchanging messages through intermediaries.
He also said Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi had traveled to Doha to facilitate discussions through Qatari mediation.
Tensions between the two countries escalated after the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28.
Tehran subsequently retaliated with strikes targeting Israel and US assets across the region before a ceasefire agreement was reached in April.
On June 18, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding concerning freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway for global energy shipments.
However, implementation of the agreement has stalled because of disagreements over security arrangements in the strait.
The latest Iranian claims highlight continuing military tensions despite diplomatic efforts to prevent renewed hostilities.
The reported drone interceptions have not been independently verified, and no US confirmation of Monday’s alleged incidents was included in the available information.
