Israel condemns Mohammad Ali Geraei's comments saying, "The problem is the ayatollahs' antisemitic government that presents the biggest criminal in history as a hero. Like Hitler, the ayatollahs sacrifice the Iranian people for their goals."
It is the first time Iran targets the Navy's Mideast-based 5th Fleet's new drone task force supposedly because it posed a danger to international shipping.
Diplomats say the IR-6 is its most advanced model, far more efficient than the first-generation IR-1 - the only one the deal lets it enrich with.
Ebrahim Raisi repeats Iranian demand that nuclear probes end before 2015 deal with world powers is restored.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz meets with National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan to "exchange views on ways to deepen the US-Israel security partnership."
Officials say efforts to prevent the renewal of the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers at this point will yield no result, and therefore Israel should prepare to protect itself.
Washington warned Tehran not to ship the drones that could potentially be used against Ukrainian targets.
Defense minister visits the Central Command headquarters in Florida as part of a planned visit to US and later Japan. Mossad chief David Barnea reportedly warns against nuclear deal that would "only benefit Iran."
Defense Minister Benny Gantz takes off for Washington to convey that "an agreement that will not set Iran's capabilities back years and will not leave it limited for many years to come – it is an agreement that will harm global and regional security." US and Iran are said to have come to an agreement on several aspects of the deal.
Statement comes amid another incident in Syria in which US forces came under attack by Iranian-backed militias.
