Israel fears Iran’s downing of US drone

US President Barack Obama has asked Iran to return the drone Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told Venezuelan television on Tuesday that Iran can control the US unmanned spy plane it downed, according to CNN. "There are people here who can control this spy plane, surely we can analyze this plane too," CNN quoted Ahmadinejad as telling VTV. "The systems of Iran are as advanced as this system."
Earlier in the day, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman called on US President Barack Obama to apologise for sending the drone into Iranian territory rather than asking for it back after it was seized.
Obama acknowledged for the first time a US drone was in Iranian hands and said Washington wanted it back.
"We've asked for it back - we'll see how the Iranians respond," Obama said at a White House news briefing with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki.
Obama refused to elaborate on the remote-controlled spying aircraft's mission or why the stealth aircraft fitted with reconnaissance equipment failed to return to its base in neighbouring Afghanistan.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she was doubtful the US would get its "equipment" back.
"Given Iran's behaviour to date, we do not expect them to comply," she said during a press conference with her British counterpart.
Tehran last week lodged a formal complaint with the UN Security Council alleging the drone violation of Iranian airspace amounted to a US "invasion."
A senior commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard said on Sunday that Iran would not send the drone back.
"This is not only an intelligence victory for us, but a defeat for our enemies," the commander said.
Israeli security officials earlier expressed concern about Iran getting hold of the advanced US spy jet, enabling Iran to have access to sohisticated equipment used in F-35’s, which Israel strongly depends on .
Hebrew web portal Walla quoted a security official saying that details on the issue are not clear yet concerning Iranian control over the a RQ-170 pilotless plane, which is considered highly confidential in the US Department of Defense.
The official stated that Israel is still looking into the consequences of Iranians having control over the most advanced US military spy plane, and the consequent effect on F-35 technology. The source noted that the pilotless plane is a Lockheed Martin production, with technology similar to the one used in F-35, which signifies a great risk to the confidential US project if Iran discovers the technology.
An Israeli aviation expert said there is disagreement in determining the exact situation, for instance where the Iranians have the plane in one piece, or merely scattered parts, for some say that they built a similar plane construction of scattered pieces for propaganda. However, for Iran to get hold of a confidential project such as RQ-170 is, without doubt, a painful blow to the United States. He added that it is worth mentioning that there are difference in the manufacturing materials of F-35 and the pilotless plane, yet it seems that Americans used similar systems in both planes, particularly those responsible for evading radar.
Head of the Parliamentary sub-committee for Iranian national security affairs, Pervez Sorouri , had announced that his country is working on deciphering the US pilotless plane, which it shot down last week, and will work on making a replica when the Iranian Minister of Intelligence specifies the time. Sorouri stated “We are about to finish decoding the pilotless plane, and the next phase will focus on making a replica,” adding “We will be able to mass produce it in the near future,” stressing that the Iranian version of the pilotless plane will be more advanced than the American.
It is noteworthy that Tehran had announced that its special units in electronic war took over an RQ-170, December 4, which ventured into the Iranian airspace from Afghanistan, and forced it to land, without causing major damage, 250 km into the borders in the desert area of Tabas (North-East).
 The Iranian television broadcast, last Thursday, pictures of the advanced aircraft, which was in a CIA surveillance mission over the Iranian sites before it was dropped, according to US media.
On a different note, US reports stated that Russia provided Iran with advanced interception equipment, which could have been used in shooting down the US pilotless plane RQ-170.
Radio Sawa broadcast former US Ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, saying that in case the reports were correct concerning Russia providing Iran with interception equipment, the current situation will be dire. Bolton added that some reports stated that Russia sold very complicated interception systems to Iran not long ago, which if proves true, would mean that many of these planes are subject to danger, adding that the congress should be concerned about whether the Iranians have the technology which enables them to bring down missiles and planes, in addition to communication and navigation systems linked to several US weapons.
Bolton’s statements came despite the US army’s questioning the possibility of Iran possessing such weapons, confirming that the pilotless plane was not shot down by these weapons of this kind of technology.
According to some US reports, the Pentagon had presented several options to President Barack Obama, including going to Iran to restore the plane or destroy it. However, Obama refused, as he did not want to execute a mission which may be considered as an act of war.
Iran had announced yesterday that it will not return the American pilotless plane which fell on its lands, saying that “The spy mission executed by this plane is considered an act of war in itself.”
It is noted that Iran broadcast the plane on television, where it seemed in good shape, although an US official stated that the broadcast pictures reveal that one of its wings have been removed and restored back in its place.
Obama did not say how US officials asked Iran to return the drone, since there are no diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The request was most likely made through the Swiss ambassador in Tehran, who represents US interests there in the absence of a US embassy.
Iranian state news agency FARS decided not to mince words while reporting story, with a headline proclaiming "Obama Begs Iran to Give Him Back His Toy Plane" contnuing with "US President Obama is hoping that the Iranian government is in a Christmas mood because he has asked Tehran to send him his Christmas present back."
They also dubbed the US president's request as "shameless".
Among the United States' main concerns is that Iran could use an intact aircraft to examine the vulnerabilities in stealth technology and take countermeasures with its air defence systems. Another is that China or other US adversaries could help Iran extract data from the drone that would reveal its flight history, surveillance targets and other capabilities.
According to some US reports, the Pentagon had presented several options to President Barack Obama, including going to Iran to restore the plane or destroy it. However, Obama refused, as he did not want to execute a mission which may be considered as an act of war.
Iran had announced yesterday that it will not return the American pilotless plane which fell on its lands, saying that “The spy mission executed by this plane is considered an act of war in itself.”
It is noted that Iran broadcast the plane on television, where it seemed in good shape, although an American official stated that the broadcast pictures reveal that one of its wings have been removed and restored back in its place.