Tehran: Fars News Agency announced Tuesday evening, citing informed sources, the “successful mission of an Iranian reconnaissance and surveillance drone in international waters,” while a source told Tasnim News Agency that contact with the drone had been lost.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the sources told Fars that “a single reconnaissance and surveillance drone belonging to the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran successfully completed its mission in international waters.” The report detailed that “monitoring all military movements in the areas surrounding Iran is the primary mission of reconnaissance drones, with data from these drones being transmitted and received instantly at ground bases.”

An informed source told Tasnim News Agency regarding the incident: “The Shahed-129 drone was carrying out its usual and legal mission in international waters, conducting reconnaissance, surveillance, and image-taking operations. This is considered a routine and legal procedure.” The source added: “The drone successfully transmitted the surveillance and reconnaissance images to the center, and then contact with it was lost. The cause of the communication loss is being investigated, and details will be released as soon as they are confirmed.”

This comes shortly after the US military announced that it had shot down an Iranian drone that approached the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea in an “aggressive” manner. Despite these developments, White House Press Secretary Carolyn Leavitt confirmed to Fox News that the talks with Iran scheduled for later this week are still on track.