The Iranian military stated that a purported US rescue operation, which allegedly used an abandoned airport in southern Isfahan, was a planned deception. According to the military spokesman, the mission was entirely foiled.

"The so-called U.S. military rescue operation, planned as a deception and escape mission at an abandoned airport in southern Isfahan under the pretext of recovering the pilot of a downed aircraft, was completely foiled," said Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesman for the military's central command, Khatam Al-Anbiya.