A senior Iranian military spokesman has claimed that a US mission to rescue a downed pilot in Isfahan ended in “complete failure.”
Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesman for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said the operation—described by the US as a rescue mission—was disrupted by Iranian forces.
He claimed the mission, allegedly planned at an abandoned airfield in southern Isfahan, was intended as a rapid extraction but failed due to what he called the “timely presence” of Iranian armed forces.
Zolfaghari further alleged that two US C-130 military transport aircraft and two Black Hawk helicopters were destroyed during the incident.
He also accused US President Donald Trump of attempting to cover up the outcome through “psychological warfare” and misinformation.
The claims have not been independently verified.
Meanwhile, Trump said on Sunday that US forces had “bravely” rescued the downed pilot in Iran, adding that the pilot was injured but expected to recover.