U.S. Navy says Iran briefly seized American sea drones again

This marks the second-such incident in recent days as negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers hang in the balance

The U.S. Navy’s Mideast-based 5th Fleet said on August 30 that Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard seized and later let go of a U.S. sea drone in the Persian Gulf. | Photo Credit: AP

The U.S. Navy said Iran has once again briefly seized an American sea drone before letting it go. Tehran responded saying that its navy seized two drones before releasing them.

Cmdr. Timothy Hawkins, a spokesman for the Navy’s Mideast-based 5th Fleet, acknowledged the incident on September 2 to The Associated Press. He declined to immediately elaborate.

Iranian state television showed images of at least one drone on the deck of a vessel with sailors looking at it.

This marks the second-such incident involving Iran in recent days as negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers hang in the balance.