The Iranian navy said it identified and warned off a US reconnaissance plane near the Gulf of Oman on Sunday, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
"After the warning, the plane was prevented from entering the country's skies without authorization," said the report, identifying the plane as a US Navy EP-3E.
While the opening line of the Tasnim report said the aircraft had crossed into Iranian airspace, the same report also said the aircraft had not entered Iranian skies and had left after the warning, Reuters reported.
Iran has had similar confrontations with US forces in the past. In 2019, Iran shot down a US drone which it said was flying over southern Iran.
On Dec. 31, Iran said its military had launched a drone to warn off a reconnaissance plane trying to approach Iranian war games on the Gulf coast, without identifying the aircraft.
Long-strained relations between Iran and the United States have deteriorated further in the last year, as talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal hit deadlock and after Tehran unleashed a deadly crackdown on protesters.
Sunday’s announcement came a few days after the first A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft arrived in the US Central Command area of responsibility at Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates.
The combat air support aircraft arrived ahead of schedule following the approval for the platform to return to theater. They will fall underneath the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing at Al Dhafra AB.
“The 380th AEW is excited to welcome the 75th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and 75th Expeditionary Fighter Generation Squadron to the theater,” said Brig. Gen. David R. Lopez, commander of the 380th AEW. “Their arrival will enhance our ability to deliver airpower and defend the region, as well as provide us additional opportunities to partner with our Emirati hosts.”
