Iran has dismissed a U.S. request expressed by President Barack Obama to return a U.S. drone that Iranian officials say was captured in Iranian airspace by its armed forces.

Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi said the United States should apologize for invading Iranian airspace instead of asking for the return of the unmanned aircraft.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said the U.S. violated international laws and the Iranian airspace.

“Mr. Obama has requested for the spy plane to be returned to the U.S.,” Mehmanparast said. “It seems that he has forgotten that our airspace was violated. A spying operation was conducted, and international law has been violated.”

Iran says the surveillance aircraft was detected in Iranian airspace and brought down by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps some 225 kilometers from the border with Afghanistan.

State television aired footage of officials standing next to the craft with banners taunting the U.S. splashed under it.

compiled from agency reports