Iran has shot down an unmanned surveillance plane in the south amid reports that the US is planning military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

"This plane had taken off from Iraq and was filming border areas," a report in the Jumhuri Eslami newspaper said yesterday.

It added the Iranian "officials have obtained information from the plane system and recordings", without giving any further details.

US publications reported that the White House is studying options for military strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities to pressure Tehran to abandon its nuclear programme.

Critics, meanwhile, expressed alarmed over reports of the possible strike. "We should not fool ourselves to think it will just be a strike and then it will be over," said retired General Anthony Zinni, the former head of US Central Command.

PHOTO CAPTION

Head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation (IAEA) Gholamreza Aghazadeh (L) talks to Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad (C) at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility in Iran February 15, 2006. (Reuters)

Gulf Daily News