The key facts
- The IRGC claimed it downed an American MQ-1 drone over Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz
- According to the corps, the drone was shot down with a new air defense system after being detected over the island
- US-Iran talks after the signing of a memorandum on June 18 have stalled due to disagreements over shipping in the strait
IRGC statement on the downed drone
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Saturday that its air defense forces detected an American MQ-1 drone flying over Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz and shot it down using a recently developed system. The statement was published as an official communiqué of the corps.
Context: war and stalled talks
The United States and Israel began a war against Iran on February 28; Tehran responded by attacking Israel and American military facilities in Arab countries. On June 18, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding and began negotiations, which later stalled due to disagreements over how to ensure safe and free shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The drone incident occurred precisely against this backdrop; however, the IRGC statement does not include any US reaction, and no confirmation from the American side is available in the materials.
