The small aircraft, sometimes flying only a few hundred feet above ground, employ radar, video, still photography, and air filters against their targets. In addition to their intimidating effect, they are commonly used to detect antiaircraft positions in preparation for aerial attacks.

According to the Iranian government, a Shadow 200 (RQ-7) drone crashed 37 miles inside Iran in Ilam Province July 4. On August 25, a U.S. Hermes drone went down 125 miles inside Iran near the western city of Khorramabad.

Tehran protested both incidents in letters sent to Washington in August and September through Swiss channels, as the U.S. government refuses normal diplomatic relations with Iran. On November 7, the United Nations Security Council circulated the letters more broadly, following a request by Tehran. The letters called the use of the spy flights “unlawful” and in violation of Iran’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

The Post reported November 8 that “The Pentagon did not deny the incidents but said it could not verify the Iranian claims. ‘I can’t confirm the validity of their statements,’ said Defense Department spokesman Maj. Todd Vician.” In its February 13 issue, the Post had reported that U.S. officials acknowledged Washington used drones over northern and western Iran beginning in April 2004, making use of the U.S. occupation of neighboring Iraq to deploy them.

U.S. ambassador to the UN John Bolton told the Post, “That’s not in my bailiwick. I’m just a catcher’s mitt here as far as Iran is concerned. I really can’t comment.”

Meanwhile, Reuters reported November 11 that London, Paris, and Berlin had prepared a new proposal, as part of an ongoing campaign driven by Washington to press Iran to abandon development of its own nuclear power industry. The European Union Three, as they are often referred to by the media, will demand that Tehran conduct all uranium enrichment in Russia in exchange for being allowed to keep less essential aspects of the production of atomic fuel in Iran. If the Iranian government turns down the offer, the EU Three will reportedly recommend to the board of governors of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), at its November 24 meeting, that the IAEA refer Tehran to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.

U.S. secretary of state Condoleezza Rice told the press that such a vote would come “at a time of our choosing.”

Tehran has rejected this latest demand. Following talks with Russian envoy Igor Ivanov, the head of Iran’s nuclear agency, Gholamreza Aghazadeh, told the press November 12, “Iran’s nuclear fuel will be produced inside Iran.”  
 
 
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