Iran downs drone over port of southwestern city

By Rabie Abu Zamil

TEHRAN (AA) - Iran's military defense system shot down a drone over the port of southwestern Mahshahr city, local media reported on Friday.

According to the official Al-Alam TV, "missile defenses of the Iranian army fired [Friday morning] missile towards a drone seen in the sky of the port of Mahshahr and shot it down immediately".

The sound of rocket firing was heard by locals close to Bandar Imam Khomeini seaport.

The news channel quoted Gholamreza Shariati, governor of Khuzestan province, that the drone was foreign and an investigation has been launched into the incident.

Security forces "managed to recover the wreckage of the drone and experts are studying and investigating the incident," he said.

The drone "is undoubtedly foreign," Shariati asserted.

"We will present the results of the investigation on the whole issue, but it is clear that this plane entered the Iranian airspace and the city of Mahshahr without any coordination, and for this reason, has been quickly dealt with by the Iranian missile defenses," he added.

* Writing by Mahmoud Barakat