Iranian forces were actively searching Saturday for a missing US pilot after one of two warplanes was downed over Iran and the Gulf, intensifying tensions as the conflict entered its sixth week with little sign of peace talks.
The incident highlights the risks faced by US and Israeli aircraft operating over Iranian territory, despite assurances from President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that American forces have “total control of the skies.”
The possibility that a US service member may be alive and evading capture comes shortly after Trump threatened to strike Iran “back to the Stone Ages” in a war that remains unpopular domestically and raises concerns over long-term global economic repercussions.
Iran’s leadership has remained defiant. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi suggested Tehran could consider peace talks with the US through mediation by Pakistan, but rejected yielding to Trump’s demands.
“We are deeply grateful to Pakistan for its efforts and have never refused to go to Islamabad. What we care about are the terms of a conclusive and lasting END to the illegal war that is imposed on us,” Araqchi said on social media.