U.S. F-35C downs Iranian drone near carrier as tanker confrontation tests path to nuclear talks
A U.S. fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that approached the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East today, the Pentagon said, in a flare-up at sea that coincided with a separate attempt by Iranian forces to detain a U.S.-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.
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White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is still expected “to have conversations with the Iranians late this week,” despite the incidents. Negotiations are now set for Friday, but President Donald Trump has refused to rule out military action, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says talks will proceed only if they are free of threats.
“An F-35C fighter jet from Abraham Lincoln shot down the Iranian drone in self-defense,” U.S. Central Command spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins said in a statement. The carrier was dispatched to the Arabian Sea last month amid a buildup of American forces.
Hours earlier, Central Command said two Iranian boats and a drone approached the U.S.-flagged M/V Stena Imperative in the Strait of Hormuz “and threatened to board and seize the tanker.” An American destroyer responded with air support and escorted the vessel. British maritime security firm Vanguard Tech reported that the Stena Imperative was confronted by three pairs of small armed boats belonging to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards while transiting 16 nautical miles north of Oman. The ship increased speed and maintained course and did not enter Iranian waters, the firm said.
Iran’s Fars news agency reported that a vessel, whose nationality it did not specify, had entered Iranian territorial waters in the strait, was warned and “immediately left.” The Strait of Hormuz is the narrow chokepoint linking the Persian Gulf to the open ocean and has been the site of repeated maritime confrontations.
The latest incidents unfolded as Washington and Tehran prepared to resume contacts after weeks of hard-edged rhetoric. Trump has repeatedly threatened Iran with military action, and Tehran has warned that it would strike U.S. vessels and bases if attacked. Pezeshkian said he has ordered the start of talks “provided that a suitable environment exists—one free from threats and unreasonable expectations—to pursue fair and equitable negotiations,” according to a post on X.
The venue for the talks remains unsettled. An Arab official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a meeting was likely in Turkey, while the U.S. outlet Axios reported that Iran wants the venue moved to Oman.
Israel weighed in as well. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Witkoff in Jerusalem that Iran “cannot be trusted,” according to his office. The United States opposes Iran’s nuclear program, which it maintains is a pathway to nuclear weapons capability; Tehran insists its program is for civilian research. Washington also wants to curb Iran’s support for regional proxy forces and its arsenal of ballistic missiles. Iran, for its part, has repeatedly said any negotiations should focus solely on the nuclear file, not its missiles or defense posture.
The maritime friction comes against a volatile domestic backdrop in Iran. Protests that began over the cost of living in Tehran in December swelled into nationwide anti-government demonstrations and a deadly crackdown. Iranian officials have acknowledged more than 3,000 deaths during the unrest, saying most were members of the security forces and bystanders and blaming “terrorist acts” for the violence. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency says it has confirmed 6,854 deaths, mostly protesters killed by security forces, and reported at least 50,235 arrests linked to the demonstrations. Iranian authorities contend the “riots” were inflamed by the United States and Israel.
With an American carrier group at sea and fast-moving boats and drones operating at close quarters, U.S. officials warn of the risk of miscalculation even as they push for talks. Whether Friday’s discussions can proceed—and produce any de-escalation—now hangs over a waterway where inches and minutes often matter.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
