UPDATE 2 - Zarif Says Iran Has No Information On Drone Shootdown

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th July, 2019) Iran has no information about its drone being downed by the United States, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told reporters at the UN in New York.

"We have no information about having lost the drone today," Zarif said on Thursday.

The Pentagon in a statement earlier in the day said an Iranian drone came within a "threatening range" of a US warship in the Strait of Hormuz before being destroyed by American forces in a defensive action.

US President Donald Trump characterized Iran's drone move as the latest hostile and provocative action against vessels operating in international waters and added that the United States has the right to defend itself, its facilities and interests.

On Thursday, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps reported seizing a foreign oil tanker with illegal cargo in the Persian Gulf, not providing any further details on where the vessel or its crew were from. The Iranian YJC news agency then reported, citing a source, that the ship had sailed under a UK flag.

Trump called on all nations to condemn Iran's attempts to disrupt freedom of navigation and global commerce and protect their ships as they go through the Strait of Hormuz as well as work with the United States in the future.

Zarif also met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to discuss UK's seizure of an Iranian tanker, Reuters reported, citing the IRNA news agency.

The situation in the Persian Gulf and adjacent areas has noticeably worsened over the past couple of months as several oil tankers were hit by explosions of undetermined origin. The United States and its allies blamed Iran for the incidents. The Iranian military then reported it had downed a US drone, saying it violated Iranian airspace.

In mid-July, media reported an attempt by the Iranian military to detain a British vessel in the Strait of Hormuz after the United Kingdom detained an Iranian oil tanker at Gibraltar.