IRGC Vows to Maintain Drone Patrols to Protect Iran’s Airspace in Persian Gulf

The IRGC’s aerial patrol missions would continue in the Iranian Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on a daily basis in accordance with the standard safety regulations, the Public Relations Department of the IRGC Drone Division said in a statement on Monday evening.

The IRGC Drone Division made the announcement in response to the US claims that a drone made an "unsafe and unprofessional” approach to an American aircraft carrier.

The statement further dismissed as "unfounded” the US claims and said the IRGC’s drones are equipped with standard navigation systems and the drone flights are operated precisely and professionally.

Earlier on Tuesday, US Navy spokesman Lieutenant Ian McConnaughey said in a statement that an Iranian QOM-1 drone flew within 300 meters (1,000 feet) of aircraft based on the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier in international waters on Sunday night, calling it an "unsafe and unprofessional" incident.

"Despite repeated radio calls to establish communications and remain clear, the QOM-1's controlling station was unresponsive and the (drone) did not use any aircraft navigation lights while it made several passes in close proximity to Nimitz and its escort ships during active flight operations, coming within 1,000 feet of US aircraft," he said.