Moscow says downed US drone violated Iranian airspace

Tehran had provided evidence which shows that US military drone violated the Iranian airspace.

Jerusalem:Moscow has information that the US military drone, which was shot down by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) last week, was flying within Iranian airspace, said Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press briefing in the presence of US National Security Advisor John Bolton and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Patrushev also said that the evidence provided by Washington, alleging Tehran was behind the attack on the two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, were unprofessional and of poor quality.

"We need to conduct a due investigation, to understand what really happened, instead of simply appointing the culprit", media quoted Patrushev as saying.

Patrushev's statements go in contrast with the claims made by Washington about the attack on US drone, as well as, on the two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

After the IRGC on Thursday announced that it had shot down an 'intruding American spy drone', RQ-4 Global Hawk, Washington labelled the move an 'unprovoked attack', claiming that the drone was flying over international waters when attacked.

To back its claim, the country released an image of Drone's flight path, in response to which Tehran released a video showing that the drone had entered the Iranian airspace. Both the countries provided similar proof until the final moments before the unmanned aerial vehicle was shot down.

Washington has also blamed Iran for the attack on two oil tankers Marshall Islands-flagged Front Altair and the Panama-flagged Kokuka Courageous near the Strait of Hormuz.

To back this claim, the US released a blurry video, which the country believed, showed the boat crew of IRGC removing an unexploded mine from one of the tankers shortly after the attack.

The US' stance was echoed by Britain and Saudi Arabia, whereas Russia came to Iran's support and warned against 'hasty conclusions' over the incident.