Iranian Military Source Reacts to CNN Report

(Tasnim) – An informed Iranian military source shrugged off a report by CNN claiming that an Iranian aircraft flew close to a US Navy helicopter over the Persian Gulf, saying such stories are meant to undermine Iran nuclear talks and to downplay the Saudi-led attacks on Yemen.

In a Tuesday report, CNN said it has learned that an Iranian military observation aircraft flew within 45 meters of an armed US Navy helicopter over the Persian Gulf this month.

The Navy MH-60R armed helicopter was flying from the deck of the USS Carl Vinson on a routine patrol in international airspace when an unarmed Iranian observation Y-12 aircraft approached and made two passes at the helicopter before the chopper moved off, CNN quoted a US military official as saying.

In response, an informed Iranian military source told Tasnim on Wednesday that the report was meant to influence the nuclear talks between Tehran and six world powers and to downplay the war on Yemen.

“We are capable of doing greater jobs than that, but we believe that such reports are part of the Iranophobia measures and also aim to affect the strikes by Saudi Arabia and reactionary Arab states against the oppressed Yemeni nation,” the source said, adding that such reports do not need to be responded to.

The report was released as Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) are engaged in diplomatic meetings in Switzerland to discuss a final agreement on Tehran’s nuclear program.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and some of its Arab allies have begun to militarily interfere in Yemen's internal affairs by launching deadly air strikes against the Houthi Ansarullah movement in an attempt to restore power to fugitive Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh.