Iran says it will deal decisively with any foreign encroachment "by air, sea, or on the ground."
A senior armed forces commander made the statement on November 9, a day after Pentagon officials said Iranian warplanes fired on an unarmed U.S. drone over international waters in the Persian Gulf on November 1.
In the Iranian news agency report, General Massoud Jazayeri did not mention the drone incident specifically.
But he did say "if any foreign aircraft attempts to enter our airspace our armed forces will deal with them."
Washington has issued a formal protest to the Iranian authorities over the attack on its drone, which was not damaged in the incident. A Pentagon spokesman said on November 8 that the United States "communicated to the Iranians" that it would continue such surveillance flights in international airspace.
A senior armed forces commander made the statement on November 9, a day after Pentagon officials said Iranian warplanes fired on an unarmed U.S. drone over international waters in the Persian Gulf on November 1.
In the Iranian news agency report, General Massoud Jazayeri did not mention the drone incident specifically.
But he did say "if any foreign aircraft attempts to enter our airspace our armed forces will deal with them."
Washington has issued a formal protest to the Iranian authorities over the attack on its drone, which was not damaged in the incident. A Pentagon spokesman said on November 8 that the United States "communicated to the Iranians" that it would continue such surveillance flights in international airspace.