Iran refrained from blowing up an American plane with 35 people on board that was accompanying the unmanned drone the Revolutionary Guard Corps shot down, an Iranian commander said Friday.

“With the US drone in the region there was also an American P-8 plane with 35 people on board,” Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the Guard’s Aerospace Force, was quoted as saying by the Tasnim news agency.

“This plane also entered our airspace and we could have shot it down, but we did not,” he said.

The P-8 Poseidon — based on Boeing’s 737-800 airframe — carries anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare equipment, as well as shipping interdiction and electronic support measures.

Hajizadeh said his forces shot down the RQ-4A Global Hawk drone 10 minutes after issuing a final warning.

Iranian state media on Friday released images of what the Revolutionary Guard said are pieces from the obliterated drone.

With Post wires