Iran making overtures to China on access to captured US spy drone technology: Report

Tehran, Apr 24 (ANI): Iran, which claims to have hacked software of an advanced US spy drone, is reportedly making overtures to China to potentially give them access to the sensitive aircraft technology.

A former intelligence official said that it's unlikely the Iranians could figure out how to recreate the drone, despite their claims over the weekend, and that they would try to use the technology to bargain with the Chinese or the Russians.

According to Fox News, the spy craft, that can resists detection by radar, is of particular interest to the Chinese, who also tried access to a stealth US helicopter tail from Pakistan after the Osama bin Laden raid.

The former official said that while China does not necessarily have the technology to help significantly advance Iran's nuclear program in exchange for access to drone parts, Beijing could offer Iran an IOU of sorts, for a favor like a veto at the U.N. Security Council.

According to the report, Russians also would be interested in any US intelligence collection capability, and could offer Iran ballistics technology useful for a nuclear delivery system.

Meanwhile, United States Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has dismissed Iran's claims that it had hacked software of the spy drone that was brought down on its territory last year, and is now building its own copies of the aircraft.

"I can tell you from my experience that I would seriously question their ability to do what they said they've done," Panetta said. (ANI)