Iran Shoots Down Drones, Says US Wanted to Steal Uranium Under Pilot Rescue Cover

Iran on Tuesday (April 7, 2026) said that its forces shot down two drones and an American cruise missile over its southern territory.

Iran had on Monday (April 6, 2026) claimed that the so-called US operation to rescue the F-15E airman after his aircraft was shot down could be a cover to “steal enriched uranium” from it.

Tehran said its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) air defence units intercepted and destroyed an AGM-158B cruise missile over the Barzak village near Kashan in Central Iran.

Iran’s forces also shot down an Israeli Orbiter drone over Sirik in its southern territory of Hormozgan. On Monday (April 6), Tehran’s Aerospace Force also downed a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over Qeshm Island in the south, it claimed in a statement.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Ministry claimed the US operation to rescue the pilot, who ejected from a downed F-15E combat jet, was a cover to steal the enriched uranium from its facilities.

American President Donald Trump had announced on Sunday (April 5) that US special forces had recovered the second pilot of the F-15E that was shot down over Iran on Friday (April 3). He had called the operation a “daring” search and rescue effort.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday (April 6) that the rescue operation had raised “many questions and uncertainties.”

“The area where the American pilot was claimed to be present in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province is a long way from the area where they attempted to land or wanted to land their forces in central Iran,” Baghaei said.

“The possibility that this was a deception operation to steal enriched uranium should not be ignored at all,” he further said, adding that the operation was “a disaster” for the United States.

Iran’s military has called it “a deception and escape mission”, insisting it was “completely foiled”.

It said several US aircraft had to “make emergency landings” in southern Isfahan province after being hit during the mission, with the US “forced to heavily bombard the downed aircraft.”

The US had claimed that two MC-130J Commando II transport aircraft suffered “mechanical failure” during the high-risk special operations mission in Isfahan.

The two transport planes ferrying special operations forces into rugged terrain in Central Iran suffered unspecified “technical malfunctions” that prevented them from taking off after landing, US officials said.

The reports further added that US commanders ordered the two aircraft to be blown up using thermite charges because they could not fly.

This “scuttle” order was intended to prevent sensitive military equipment, including advanced communication and encryption technology, from falling into the hands of the IRGC.

Tehran claimed its forces successfully intercepted and neutralised the aircraft through a joint operation.
They termed the US explanation of “technical malfunction” as an attempt to hide a “humiliating defeat”.

Isfahan is often called “Nesf-e-Jahan” (Half of the World) as it is considered one of Iran’s most historically and strategically vital cities.

It houses the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Centre, the country’s largest nuclear research complex.

The site handles uranium conversion and fuel production, which Tehran claims is for the country’s civilian nuclear program, while the US and Israel allege it is being used to produce nuclear weapons.

Apart from that, the area is also a major defence manufacturing hub and has the Khatami (Shekari) Air Base, which is home to Iran’s remaining fleet of F-14 Tomcat fighter jets.