Iran airs video revealing US drone

Iran aired footage of a US drone that entered "deep" into eastern airspace last week, and has lodged a formal complaint to the UN over its entrance.

According to Al Jazeera English, the Iranian foreign ministry summoned Livia Leu Agosti, the Swiss ambassador, and suggested that Washington had upped its "provocative and covert actions" against Iran, said Iranian state television.

The Swiss embassy handles US interests in Iran in the absence of Iran-US diplomatic ties.

According to AJE, Iran's ambassador to the UN said that his government considered the drone incursion "tantamount to an act of hostility."

They have asked for an "urgent response and compensation from the US government."

More from GlobalPost: Did Iran hack into a CIA drone, causing it to crash?

According to the Associated Press:

Tehran's capture of a largely intact, top secret U.S. drone, which it displayed on state television, not only lays bare America's surveillance program over Iran, but it also puts sensitive, advanced technology in hostile hands.

A former US official confirmed to the AP that the drone that is featured in a two-minute video that was aired by Iran state television was indeed a RQ-170 that is used for surveillance of Tehran's nuclear facilities. 

Analysts predict that the incident could be a serious setback for what has been an escalating surveillance program, aimed largely at Iran's nuclear facilities, that has gone on for years from a US air base in Afghanistan and other bases in the region.

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