Iran says it shot down reconnaissance drone near Iraq border after it 'confronted' air defense

TEHRAN, Iran – Iran's official IRNA news agency says the military has shot down a reconnaissance drone in western Iran near the border with Iraq.

IRNA quoted Col. Farzad Fereidouni, a local air defense system commander, in a report Saturday as saying the unmanned aircraft was shot down in recent days after it "confronted" the air defense missile system. He didn't say which country the drone belonged to, or give specifics on the timing.

Iran has claimed to have captured several U.S. drones in recent years, including an advanced RQ-170 Sentinel CIA spy drone in December 2011 and at least three Boeing-designed ScanEagle aircraft.

Iran said last year it successfully tested its copy of the RQ-170 drone based on one it captured. Tehran says it is also copying the ScanEagle.