Trump-Iran dwell updates: US navy shoots down Iranian drone in Arabian Sea
The US on Tuesday shot down an Iranian drone that “aggressively” approached the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea, the US military said.
The incident came as diplomats sought to arrange nuclear talks between Iran and the United States. President Donald Trump had warned that with US warships heading toward Iran, “bad things” would probably happen if a deal could not be reached.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the US had shot down an Iranian drone, to Fox News on Tuesday. She added that talks with Iran later this week are still scheduled to take place, she added during an interview on the ‘America Reports’ program.
An Iranian Shahed-139 drone flew towards the carrier “with unclear intent” and was shot down by an F-35 US fighter jet, the US military said.
Pictured: Oil futures prices rose more than $1 per barrel after drone shot down
Pictured: The Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea
Iran demands location change for talks with US
Iran is demanding that talks with the US this week be held in Oman not Turkey, and that the scope be narrowed to two-way talks on nuclear issues only, a regional source said on Tuesday, casting doubt on whether the meeting will go ahead as planned.
Iran’s effort to change the venue and agenda for the talks, currently scheduled for Friday in Istanbul, came amid heightened tensions as the US builds up forces in the Middle East.
Regional players have pushed for resolution of a standoff that has led to mutual threats of air strikes.
Related: Iran gives go-ahead for US talks but warns Trump against ‘threats’
Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian has given the go-ahead for talks with the US in Turkey this week, but warned against any further threats by the Trump administration.
Turkey will host the discussions, aimed at de-escalating tensions following Washington’s threats of military action in response to Tehran’s bloody crackdown of nationwide protests early this year.
Alex Croft reports:
US military continues to move assets into Middle East as tensions with Tehran rise
The US military has been moving a growing number of assets into the region over the past several weeks, including the Lincoln and several destroyers, which arrived last week.
The carrier strike group, which brought roughly 5,700 additional service members, joined three destroyers and three littoral combat ships that were already in the region.
Analysts of flight-tracking data also have noticed dozens of US military cargo planes heading to the region.The activity is similar to last year when the US moved in air defence hardware, like a Patriot missile system, in anticipation of an Iranian counterattack following the US bombing three key nuclear sites. Iran launched more than a dozen missiles at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar days after the strikes.
The US has several bases in the Middle East, including Al Udeid, which hosts thousands of American troops and is the forward headquarters for US Central Command.
Drone incident follows Iranian gunboats approaching US tanker in Strait of Hormuz earlier today
Three pairs of Iranian gunboats approached a US -flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz north of Oman, maritime sources and a security consultancy said on Tuesday.
The tanker, the Stena Imperative, “did not enter Iranian internal territorial waters” and was escorted by a US warship, maritime risk management group Vanguard said.
Captain Hawkins said: “Two IRGC boats and an Iranian Mohajer drone approached M/V Stena Imperative at high speeds and threatened to board and seize the tanker.
“The situation de-escalated as a result, and the US-flagged tanker is proceeding safely,” Hawkins added.
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Watch: ‘If we can’t talk to Iran, bad things could happen’ says Trump in latest threat
Talks with Iran later this week still scheduled despite incident in Arabian Sea
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said that talks with Iran later this week are still scheduled to take place.
It comes diplomats are hoping to arrange nuclear talks between Iran and the United States.
President Donald Trump has already warned that with US warships heading toward Iran, “bad things” would probably happen if a deal could not be reached.
Iranian Shahed drone flew towards carrier with ‘unclear intent’ says military
An Iranian Shahed-139 drone flew towards the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, stationed in the Arabian Sea, “with unclear intent” and was shot down by an F-35 US fighter jet, the US military said.
“An F-35C fighter jet from Abraham Lincoln shot down the Iranian drone in self-defense and to protect the aircraft carrier and personnel on board,” said Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson at the US military’s Central Command.
Source: independent.co.uk
