Tasnim � Commander of the Iranian Navy Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi said the enemy has become aware that if it causes mischief in the Persian Gulf region, it will not survive the Islamic Republic�s crushing response.

In a speech in the southern province of Fars on Tuesday, Rear Admiral Khanzadi shrugged off the US government�s threats and sanctions against Iran and said, �The enemy knows that if it makes mischief in the Persian Gulf, it will not survive, and its failure will not be limited to only damage to the equipment.�

The commander was referring to a recent move by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) to shoot down an advanced spy drone of the US over the Iranian territory.

�The sea is always a stage for competition,� he said, adding that through using specialized and committed personnel as well as the latest technologies, the Islamic Republic should surprise the enemy at sea so that it cannot cast a greedy eye to the country�s territory.

The IRGC said on Thursday that a US spy drone that violated the Iranian territorial airspace in the early hours of the day was shot down by the IRGC Aerospace Force�s air defense unit near the Kooh-e-Mobarak region in the southern province of Hormozgan.

The intruding drone was reportedly shot by Iran�s homegrown air defense missile system �Khordad-3rd�.

In comments made a few hours after the incident, IRGC Commander Major General Hossein Salami said the shooting down of the US aircraft had a straightforward message that any foreign intrusion into Iran�s sovereign territories would draw a crushing response.

�The downing of the US drone had an explicit, decisive and clear message that defenders of the Islamic Iran�s borders will show decisive and knockout reactions to aggression against this territory by any alien,� he said.

�Borders are our redline, and any enemy violating these borders will not go back,� the commander underlined.

He also made it clear that Iran is not seeking war with any country but is fully prepared for any confrontation. �Today�s incident was a clear sign of such a precise message.�

The general also reminded the enemies that the only way for them to remain safe is to respect Iran�s territorial integrity, national security and vital interests.