US President Donald Trump said the downing of an American fighter jet will not impact ongoing negotiations with Iran, according to US media reports.
In a brief phone interview with NBC News, Trump declined to provide details about the search and rescue operation launched after the aircraft was brought down, describing the situation as a sensitive military matter.
The incident has triggered efforts to locate crew members, with the president expressing frustration over media coverage of the operation.
Asked whether the development could influence diplomatic engagement with Tehran, Trump dismissed any link.
“No, not at all. No, it’s war. We’re in war,” he said.
Earlier, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump had been briefed on the downing of a US Air Force fighter jet over Iran, later identified as an F-15E Strike Eagle.
The New York Times reported that a second US military aircraft, an A-10 attack plane, also crashed in the Persian Gulf region around the same time, though the circumstances of the incidents remain unclear.
In separate remarks to The Independent, Trump declined to say how the United States would respond if the missing pilot in Iran were harmed.
“We hope that’s not going to happen,” he said.
The incidents come amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, as military confrontation continues alongside diplomatic efforts.