Obama asks Iran to return US drone

The United States has asked Iran to return the drone that Tehran says was brought down while it was flying over its territory, US President Barack Obama said on Monday, in a first open confirmation by Washington that the aircraft was in Iranian hands.

"As has already been indicated, we have asked for it back. We'll see how the Iranians respond," Obama told reporters at a joint news conference with the visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

However, Obama refused to comment on the impact of this drone in Iran on America's security interest.

"With respect to the drone inside of Iran, I'm not going to comment on intelligence matters that are classified," he said. It was the first open confirmation by the US that the drone was in Iranian hands.

Are you concerned that it will be able to weaken America's national security by discovering intelligence from the fallen drone that it captured? Obama was asked at the news conference.

Meanwhile, the US said Iran is fearful of ideas to its people, which is indicated in the fact that it has blocked the Virtual Embassy Tehran. The Virtual Embassy Tehran was launched by the State Department last week in its attempt to reach out to the people of Iran directly.

The US does not has a diplomatic presence in Iran.

In a statement, the State Department said that Swiss fficials have informed that they were called by the Iranian uthorities on December 8 with regard to the Virtual Embassy Tehran.

The US interest in Iran are being handled by the Swiss.

"The Swiss conveyed to us that the Iranians called Ambassador Leu in on Thursday, December 8.  We do not discuss the substance of our diplomatic exchanges," the State Department said.

"It is clear, however, by its efforts to block access to the Virtual Embassy website that the government of Iran is fearful of the free flow of ideas and information to the Iranian people," it said in a statement.