Iran’s embassy in Pakistan has responded to an American mother searching for her missing pilot son a day after Iran reportedly shot down a U.S. fighter jet in its mountainous territory. The embassy told the woman her son would be safer in Iranian custody, suggesting he was more at risk under Donald Trump’s care.
In a post on X, the woman said: “Please keep the two F-15 pilots that were shot down tonight in your prayers. One of my sons is a fighter pilot and I still haven’t heard from him or his unit. My heart is heavy with worry. Please pray for all the pilots and their families.”
The Iranian Embassy in Pakistan responded to the post saying: “Make sure your sons are in more danger with DJ Trump than in custody in Iran. Pray he is held captive in Iran before he finds US rescue teams!”
“As Muslims and civilized Iranians, we know how to treat detainees in custody with dignity and respect,” the embassy added.
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Another Iranian embassy responded to the post, saying: “In Iran, long before the so-called unnecessary humanitarian laws were written, the rights of prisoners of war were already defined.”
“We do not treat prisoners of war like your savage allies, the Zionists. We have an Iranian civilization. We do not live in the stone age, like in America,” the statement read.
American fighter jet shot down
An F-15E Strike Eagle was one of the fighter jets that was attacked on Friday, April 3. While one service member was rescued, a search was underway for another.
It was also the first time the United States had lost aircraft on Iranian soil during the war, now in its sixth week.
As the search continues, the Islamic Republic has called on its civilians to search for the “enemy” pilot and has promised a reward for anyone who turns him in.
Iran’s military also said it shot down a US A-10 ground attack aircraft in the Persian Gulf on the same day the F-15 was shot down. The pilot of the A-10 was rescued.
According to reports, the A-10 Warthog went down near the Strait of Hormuz, which has been blocked for business since the start of the war, the New York Times reported, citing US officials.
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Donald Trump was briefed on both incidents.
In the interview, the US president said that the events will not affect negotiations with Iran. “No, not at all. No, it’s a war,” Trump said, according to the report.
The war erupted more than a month ago with US-Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, sparking retaliation that spread the conflict across the Middle East.
Up to 5,000 people have been killed in the US-Israeli-Iranian conflict that began on February 28. Just over 1,300 people have been killed in Lebanon, where Israel is waging a parallel war against Iran-linked Hezbollah.
(With input from multiple agencies)
