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Subscribe to RSSNBC's Jim Miklaszewski reports on the American stealth drone that crashed in Iran and whether it provides Iranians access to sensitive U.S. technology.
An American drone that crashed in Iran last Thursday was on a mission for the CIA, and is now in the hands of Iran’s military, NBC News has learned.
U.S. officials tell NBC that CIA operators were flying the unmanned drone when it veered out of control and headed deep into Iran. The drone eventually ran out of fuel and crashed in Iran's remote mountains.
The nature of the drone’s mission was secret and sources say it's still not clear whether the drone was operating in Iran or Afghanistan.
Officials here confirm that the vehicle was a highly secret stealth drone called an RQ-170, which looks more like a flying wing than an airplane — the same kind of drone that circled over Osama bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan as Navy Seals targeted the fugitive al-Qaida leader.
One major concern is that the Iranians could salvage highly sensitive technology used in the drone for cameras or sensors or even the stealth technology, and try to develop it for themselves.
Iranian media reported on Sunday that their country's military had shot down a U.S. reconnaissance drone in eastern Iran, but a U.S. official said there was no indication the aircraft had been shot down.
Iran has announced several times in the past that it shot down U.S., Israeli or British drones, in incidents that did not provoke high-profile responses.
"Iran's military has downed an intruding RQ-170 American drone in eastern Iran," Iran's Arabic-language Al Alam state television network on Sunday quoted a military source as saying.
"The spy drone, which has been downed with little damage, was seized by the Iranian armed forces," the source said. "The Iranian military's response to the American spy drone's violation of our airspace will not be limited to Iran's borders."
Iranian officials were not available to comment further.
The incident comes at a time when Tehran is trying to contain foreign outrage at the storming of the British embassy on Tuesday, after London announced sanctions on Iran's central bank in connection with Iran's nuclear enrichment program.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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If you're buying this BS I've got some oceanfront property in Utah I'd like to sell ya! "hard turn"...that's a nice way of saying...."we were spying inside Iran and then ooopsie...they shot her down"!
Bungling Fools!
better get 007 on it
You mean Korean Air 007?
(Wrong)
Central China TV (CCTV) reported on their news Sunday evening, that Iran had shot down the American Drone flying inside their country and now will place it on display for everyone to view! I guess if we fly over other's airspace, expect to get shot down.
Yeah sure.Out of control..NO usa you are out of control..so corrupt and criminals..you get what you deserve ...
..I like the Iranian people..The usa needs to get out of their country.they have killed enough babies..in Iraq, Hiroshima Vietnam
.and Israels can get out of the area..and go back where they came from..or Argentina..
They make all the problems in the world anyway...
Do you like the Iranian government?
I like NO gov... they are all corrupt..the poor people have to suffer with the corruption and pay for it with their blood...
I like Iran. Better than Israel.
Neda Agha-Soltan could not be reached for comment.
What a joke. The drone "accidentally crashed across the Iranian border". Iran shot the drone down because we felt the need to fly it into their country. Just keep pushing them, Afghanistan is going to seem like a cake walk once we go to war with Iran.
A few million Buzz cuts from Israel and Royal Koministan will tyre of it all and talk a lot.
Give me back my drone, or else?
Believe me girls everything in this world has been reverse engineered. When Iran gets a world system working with "GPS" it will be a threat. Until then it is a theater of operations gizmo. This was plopped over there as a warning to Iran to expect much worse in the very near future.
Okay, first we need to quit whining.
If we don't want the enemy to get their hands on any of our top-top-top-double-secret stuff, then we shouldn't use that stuff.
If the drone is lost, it's lost. Big deal. If our guys didn't think the Iranians would ever get hold of some of our equipment, then they were fools to start with.
I am sooo going to enjoy paying $10/gallon gas next year. Thank you Obama for being just like your predecessor.
Obama and Bush - One and the same - owned and operated by global corporations
What a riot! A ghoulish weapon, operated by the The Rogue Nation, where it has no business.
When are we going to stop tip toeing around this Iranian problem? This country (Iran) has killed thousands of Americans since 1979 and made hundreds of threats of war toward us. It is time to shut those nut jobs up once and for all!
Your kid first
They have killed thousands of Americans, you say. What a bald face lie, Mr. Wilson.The US has killed hundreds of thousands Iraqi's and Afghans in the same period for nothing at all.
Good point Phil!
NUKE EM
brilliant! that will solve our problems! the 1.5 Billion muslims will cheer for us and leave us alone and throw flowers at our feet!
Oh good I am glad that it strayed off and crashed - when I first saw the headline - I thought for sure someone in the state department sold it to Iran
Oh, it was flying over Iraq, they lost "control" of it and it "crashed"...or so our government want's the idiot's of America to believe....like they believed that hiding under your desk would protect them from a nuke...yeah...right...thanks for your honesty...we believe everything you tell us cause we know you would never lie to us....
Why don't the USA admit that they sent it in for spying and the Drone was captured..It didnt crash..Because the USA wont make a big stink about it..
Iran US Iran US on going struggle till when? can it be peace?
Can US give the world a break? it seems like we're always snooping behind people s a s s
We re worse than them! how can we lead? we cant even lead ourselves! it s all about the power and control
We're sick people
"Downed with little damage..." Lmfao...what a bunch of idiots.
our military and political leadership is remiss with their responsibilities, incompetitent, corrupt, and reckless with public funds. A simple fool knows that ANY sensitive knowledge or property is destroyed when compromised. The drone and any enemies near by should have been annhialated. Moreover, allowing Pakistan, North Korea, China, Arabia, and in particular Iran gain psychological and actual advantage over the USA in nearly every risk category is traitorous and will precipitate the future demise of this nation . When will the individuals entrusted with the helm of this nation do their jobs? The present government and corporate 'leaders*' have weakened the foundation of the U S A that was built by great sacrifice by real heros before them. A clear message of weakness, corruption, and ineptness has been sent to the world by our leadership.
Sorry about spelling; was on a trip using Android Tablet using big fingers, bad attitude, and poor spelling capabilities.
The US and English governments can't admit drones have been shot down in Iran without admitting that they routinely violate Iranian airspace, which is an act of war.
Agree.
imagine Iran flying over US space woooooo Lord
US will drop atomic bomb for that!
Only US can spy and fly and do anything they want and no one shouldn't say a word, I wonder why people are always trying to harm us.
As Afghan president said : lion doest not like it when you come mind his business and occupy his territory
When Lion is pushed, he has a deadly bite and we want to blame him for everything!
Maxeemas " I wonder why people are always trying to harm us."
1 - Maybe because your country funds and breeds terrorists
2 - Maybe because the terrorists that come from your country are responsible for attacks on unarmed civilians on every continent
3 - Maybe because the rest of the world has the right to their religions and their ideas and to live without fear of the muslim invaders
Just a few ideas why people are trying to harm you. It's known as self-preservation!
Sherry, The Muslims are not the invaders anywhere. It is the US that has invaded the Muslim World and killed their women and children for nothing. Or is it because Israel tells us the sick um and we jump. We are the Rogue Nation we fear. There are no other Rogue Nations, just the USA.
Iran is an act of war
Sherry : I have nothing to say but shut my mouth.
all I can say to you...
Selfish blind ignorant people like you causes us to die every day including Muslims
if we didnt have people like me to keep the balance on earth, none of us would of been alive today you idiot
Phil Green : God Bless you for your reply
Phil Greene
You are delusional. Iran has been supporting terrorism for decades--probably centuries. Do your homework. Iran is threatening the entire world with their agenda and culture of death, repression, and hate.
Dr. Donnie,
Did they orchestrate 9/11? Or was it Saddam, or the Afghanis, or Moamar, etc?
It is an illusion to which only the willing fall.
You seem willing.
DR Donnie : Shame on u
US supported the Taliban for years and I never heard any one calling US a terrorist supporter
it s always up to US to determine who s the terrorist, but they keep forgetting that they created terrorism
, you are very selfish
Big deal, I'm willing to bet the technology was already stolen via compromised hard drives when we got haxxed some time ago.
Iran, our toy landed in your yard, can we have it back? I'll give your leader a new Members Only jacket if you return our airplane.
Hope it has a homing beacon ... so we can send in another ... can you say kabooooooooooom !!!
Yes! Now someone is thinking. 3 Cheers!
Sure will make for a nice Christmas present to China.
Have to wonder what China will give in return.
All military drones should have tracking devices installed. In the event one goes down, one well place smart bomb = no more drone. Plus we eliminate a whole bunch of the enemy insurgents as they try to dismantle it. :)
yep, no chance that civilians, including children, would find it first and grab it to sell for food.
vermontguy (aka dreamer)
Get real. This is the REAL world and Iran, Korea, China, and other rogue nations do NOT care about humanity. Go hug a tree, you will feel better.
That is true. And neither do we when we invade sovereign countries.
Dr Donnie : Do you watch US tv Crimes? do you know how many people in US so selfish dont care about any one but themselves and will kill without mercy, they will take everything you have with no disregard to your situation and you dare complain about China and Iran etc... we as US citizens are not even close from been good human. The day we start acting like real Good Human then we can point our fingers at others, we are no better than Iranians neither N. Koreans so just focuse on yourself and people around u. We do not have the license to teach good because we cant even do good here in our country. What u see is Movies nothing more nothing less.
US citizens have enough problems here, phisicaly and mentaly that needs hard work before we even go outside telling people what to do and we cant even lead by good example in our country