Tehran Complains to UN Over Airspace Violation

EghtesadOnline: Iran has filed an official complaint to the United Nations over the aggression against its airspace by an American drone on the basis of Article 51 of the UN Charter, which allows military action in self-defense.

News ID: ۷۴۷۷۱۶

30 June 2019

Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal Affairs Gholamhossein Dehqani said on Friday the complaint has been delivered to the United Nations' secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UN Security Council.

"The complaint states that in case actions of this sort are repeated, Iran reserves the right to defend its sea borders and confront any violation," he told IRNA.

On June 20, Iran shot down an unmanned US drone flying in its southern skies. The US said it was flying in international airspace. It planned a retaliatory strike, but cancelled it and imposed sanctions on Iranian authorities instead, Financial Tribune reported.

Dehqani said the US could not prove the aircraft was outside Iran's airspace, because it landed in Iranian territories after being shot.