WASHINGTON — U.S. military officials said Monday they are concerned that Tehran may have an opportunity to acquire information about the classified surveillance-drone program after one of the stealthy aircraft crashed in Iran while patrolling in western Afghanistan.
But experts suggested that even if the Iranians have found parts of the unmanned spy plane, they can probably glean little from it. Because it likely fell from a high altitude, there may be few large pieces to examine.
The RQ-170 — known as the Sentinel — has been used in Afghanistan, particularly along the border, for several years.
“I think we’re always concerned when there’s an aircraft, whether it’s manned or unmanned, that we lose, particularly in a place where we’re not able to get to it,” Navy Capt. John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters Monday.
Analysts said stealth technologies — primarily the low-observable shape and the materials used — are fairly well- known but often hard to replicate.
Also Monday, Iran issued a warning that crude-oil prices could more than double to $250 a barrel if sanctions that could abruptly reduce or halt its oil exports were given serious consideration, The New York Times reported.
The warning, issued by the Foreign Ministry, appeared to be part of an attempt by Iran to intimidate its adversaries as tensions grow. Western nations stepped up efforts to isolate Iran diplomatically after mobs vandalized Britain’s diplomatic facilities in Tehran last week.
Despite the warning from Iran, oil prices were little changed by the end of the day.
