27-11-2024 12:20 AM Jerusalem Timing

Iran Sends Toy Spy Drone to Obama

Iran Sends Toy Spy Drone to Obama

An Iranian toy company has sent a pink replica of the US RQ-170 Sentinel spy drone captured in December to the US President Barack Obama

An Iranian toy company has sent a pink replica of the US RQ-170 Sentinel spy drone captured in December to the US President Barack Obama, Iranian Press TV reported.

The replica, made by the Iranian Aaye company, is about one-eightieth the original size and is marketed as a toy carrying a $4 price tag.

“We wanted for Mr. Obama himself to have these toys and know that Iranians don't leave anyone's requests unanswered. We made the 'RQ' in pink as it is Mr. Obama's favorite color and we will send it to him via the Swiss embassy," Reuters cited the head of the cultural department of the Aaye Company Seyyed Saeed Hassanpour as saying.

The US RQ-170 Sentinel stealth aircraft was brought down with minimal damage by the Iranian Army's electronic warfare unit on December 4, 2011 when flying over the northeastern Iran city of Kashmar, some 225 kilometers (140 miles) away from the Afghan border.

Washington originally denied the loss of the drone before changing its story and insisting that contact was lost with the aircraft during a surveillance mission over neighboring Afghanistan.

US President Barack Obama finally broke his silence on the issue on December 12, 2011 and announced that Washington had asked Tehran to return the drone.

"We decided to show that we can deal with this issue in a very friendly and peaceful manner and put it in the playful hands of the children of Iran to pursue a 'soft war' with Mr. Obama and the US. This was the aim of producing this aircraft," Hassanpour concluded.

The day of arrival was set for February 1, 2012 but there has been no confirmation of its delivery.