Source: VOA

The U.S. has denied an Iranian report that the country's Revolutionary Guard shot down a U.S. drone (unmanned spy plane).  Intelligence and military officials told VOA on Wednesday that the U.S. rejects the claim and has not lost a drone.

A U.S. Air Force Predator Drone (Feb 2004)

An Iranian lawmaker said the country's elite military group downed the U.S. spy plane as it was attempting to collect information about an underground uranium enrichment site.

Iran's state TV-run Youth Journalists Club on Wednesday quoted MP Ali Aghazadeh Dafsari as saying the aircraft was flying near the Fordu site around the holy city of Qom.

The report did not say when the Revolutionary Guards shot down the plane.

The report comes a day after Iran said it was installing new centrifuges aimed at speeding up its enrichment of nuclear material.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Tuesday the new equipment will bring more speed and better quality to the process.

He also reiterated that Iran's nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

The U.S. and other Western countries believe Iran is enriching uranium to develop nuclear weapons.

The U.S., European Union and the United Nations all have imposed sanctions on Iran for refusing to suspend its enrichment of uranium, a process that can be used for civilian and military purposes.

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