Jul 19, 2019 - World

Iran denies that U.S. destroyed its drone

Rashaan Ayesh

The USS Boxer — The amphibious assault ship USS Boxer. Photo: MCSN Craig Z. Rodarte/U.S. Navy/Getty Images

President Trump claimed a U.S. warship downed an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, but Iranian officials denied Friday that the country had lost any drones, reports the AP.

Why it matters: When Iran downed a U.S. drone in the same area last month, it very nearly led to military conflict, per Axios' Dave Lawler, as the tension between the two countries is unfolding in a strait that carries a fifth of all global crude exports.

What they're saying: Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian deputy foreign minister, dismissed Trump's claim on Twitter, saying "We have not lost any drone in the Strait of Hormuz nor anywhere else. I am worried the USS Boxer has how down their own UAS by mistake!"

Go deeper: How Trump and Tehran came to the brink of war

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Iran denies that U.S. destroyed its drone

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