Trump retreats from response to Apache incident, Iran denies involvement

Shafaq News- Washington

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the crash involving a US Apache helicopter was not a “major incident” and that the pilot was safe, while affirming that sanctions and restrictions targeting Iranian ports would remain in place for as long as necessary.

Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Trump claimed that the measures were making Iran “very poor” and would continue “for as long as needed.”

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi denied Iranian involvement in the incident over the Strait of Hormuz, stating that “Iran was not behind the attack” and that there had been no deliberate action targeting the aircraft.

Earlier in the day, Trump threatened a response against Iran following reports that a US Apache helicopter had been brought down over the Strait of Hormuz.

The downing of the helicopter marks the first reported loss of a US Apache since the April 8 ceasefire between Washington and Tehran. However, the Gulf region has witnessed repeated flare-ups in recent weeks, including strikes involving Iranian islands and military sites in the Gulf.