Red Siegfried
13th February 2005, 11:57 AM
We now have an explanation for the rash of UFO sightings in Iran around the end of last year:
From Regime Change Iran and the AP
http://www.regimechangeiran.com
Top News
- By Ali Akbar Dareini
Tehran: Iran’s Air Force has been ordered to shoot down any unknown or suspicious flying objects in Iran’s airspace, an Air Force spokesman said on Saturday amid state-media reports of sightings of flying objects near Iran’s nuclear installations.
"All anti-aircraft units and jet fighters have been ordered to shoot down the flying objects in Iran’s airspace," spokesman of the regular Army, Air Force Colonel Salman Mahini, said.
Flying object fever has gripped Iran after dozens of reported sightings in the summer and in recent weeks. State-run media has reported sightings of unknown objects flying over parts of Iran where nuclear facilities are located.
"The unidentified flying objects could be satellites, comets or spying or reconnaissance craft trying to monitor Iran’s nuclear installations," Col. Mahini said.
"Flights of unknown objects in the country’s airspace have increased in recent weeks ... (they) have been seen over Bushehr and Isfahan provinces," the daily Resalat reported on Saturday. There are nuclear facilities in both provinces. The timing of the reported increase in sightings, which comes as the United States is urging allies to confront Iran over its nuclear programme, has strengthened Iranian public perception that the objects are surveillance or hostile aircraft monitoring Iran.
Iran’s Air Force Chief, Gen. Karim Ghavami, was quoted in Iranian newspapers on Saturday as saying that Iran was fully prepared to defend any threat to its nuclear installations. "We have arranged plans to defend nuclear facilities from any threat. Iran’s Air Force is watchful and prepared to carry out its responsibilities," Gen. Ghavami was quoted as saying.
The Resalat had reported that "shining objects" in the sky were seen near Natanz — where Iran’s uranium enrichment plant is located — and one had exploded, causing "concern and panic in the region".
According to Col. Mahini, Iran’s pilot training centre in Tehran will organise a two-day scientific conference in March to shed more light on the flying objects. The conference is scheduled for March 8-9. (AP)
Here we go, from Reuters:
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-02-13T051314Z_01_CAS318741_RTRUKOC_0_USA-IRAN-DRONES.xml
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has been flying drones into Iran for the past year looking for evidence of nuclear weapons programmes, The Washington Post has reported.
The pilotless planes flew into Iran from U.S. military bases in Iraq using radar, photography and air filters to detect traces of nuclear activity, the newspaper said on Sunday. It cited information from three unnamed U.S. officials familiar with the surveillance programme.
The drones were spotted by Iranian civilians in late December.
The Iranian government has formally protested the flights, through Swiss officials because Tehran has no diplomatic relations with Washington, the newspaper said.
-----------------
Well, DUH!!!
From Regime Change Iran and the AP
http://www.regimechangeiran.com
Top News
- By Ali Akbar Dareini
Tehran: Iran’s Air Force has been ordered to shoot down any unknown or suspicious flying objects in Iran’s airspace, an Air Force spokesman said on Saturday amid state-media reports of sightings of flying objects near Iran’s nuclear installations.
"All anti-aircraft units and jet fighters have been ordered to shoot down the flying objects in Iran’s airspace," spokesman of the regular Army, Air Force Colonel Salman Mahini, said.
Flying object fever has gripped Iran after dozens of reported sightings in the summer and in recent weeks. State-run media has reported sightings of unknown objects flying over parts of Iran where nuclear facilities are located.
"The unidentified flying objects could be satellites, comets or spying or reconnaissance craft trying to monitor Iran’s nuclear installations," Col. Mahini said.
"Flights of unknown objects in the country’s airspace have increased in recent weeks ... (they) have been seen over Bushehr and Isfahan provinces," the daily Resalat reported on Saturday. There are nuclear facilities in both provinces. The timing of the reported increase in sightings, which comes as the United States is urging allies to confront Iran over its nuclear programme, has strengthened Iranian public perception that the objects are surveillance or hostile aircraft monitoring Iran.
Iran’s Air Force Chief, Gen. Karim Ghavami, was quoted in Iranian newspapers on Saturday as saying that Iran was fully prepared to defend any threat to its nuclear installations. "We have arranged plans to defend nuclear facilities from any threat. Iran’s Air Force is watchful and prepared to carry out its responsibilities," Gen. Ghavami was quoted as saying.
The Resalat had reported that "shining objects" in the sky were seen near Natanz — where Iran’s uranium enrichment plant is located — and one had exploded, causing "concern and panic in the region".
According to Col. Mahini, Iran’s pilot training centre in Tehran will organise a two-day scientific conference in March to shed more light on the flying objects. The conference is scheduled for March 8-9. (AP)
Here we go, from Reuters:
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-02-13T051314Z_01_CAS318741_RTRUKOC_0_USA-IRAN-DRONES.xml
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has been flying drones into Iran for the past year looking for evidence of nuclear weapons programmes, The Washington Post has reported.
The pilotless planes flew into Iran from U.S. military bases in Iraq using radar, photography and air filters to detect traces of nuclear activity, the newspaper said on Sunday. It cited information from three unnamed U.S. officials familiar with the surveillance programme.
The drones were spotted by Iranian civilians in late December.
The Iranian government has formally protested the flights, through Swiss officials because Tehran has no diplomatic relations with Washington, the newspaper said.
-----------------
Well, DUH!!!