Iran offers help with drone deterrence

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TEHRAN, Dec. 7 (UPI) -- Iran is ready to cooperate with allies to tackle the threat of foreign drones now that it has U.S. surveillance equipment on hand, a spokesman said.

Iran this week said it captured a Boeing ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicle that allegedly strayed into its territory.

While not used exclusively by the U.S. military, Iranian authorities said the aircraft operated by the United States. U.S. officials said all such aircraft in that region were accounted for.

Iran said it was able to extract data from the drone.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told the Iranian Students' News Agency that his country could help with drones that present a threat to national security.

"We are ready to cooperate with all countries in the region on all issues which are threatening regional security," he said. "We regard the solution of regional cooperation as the best way to resolve crises and establish stability and security in the region."

Iranian forces last month said it fired on what was believed to be a U.S. Predator drone in the region. Last year, Tehran paraded on national television a CIA drone that strayed across the border from Afghanistan.