The US Navy has denied any drone has been lost in the Gulf recently, after Iran claimed to have captured a US drone flying in its airspace.

Iran's state media reported the naval unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) seized a ScanEagle drone.

The Fars news agency said the drone was captured sometime "in the last few days." It was not clear how it was allegedly captured.

"These kinds of aircraft are normally launched from large ships," said Ali Fadavi, the IRGC's naval commander, according to Fars.

But a spokesman for US Naval Forces Central Command in Bahrain said no US drone had been lost.

"The US Navy has fully accounted for all unmanned air vehicles (UAV) operating in the Middle East region," he spokesman said.

"Our operations in the Gulf are confined to internationally recognised water and air space.

"We have no record that we have lost any ScanEagles recently."

The ScanEagle is manufactured by Boeing. According to the firm's website, the drone is 1.2 metres long and has a three-metre wingspan.

Last year Iran captured a stealth Sentinel drone, which it said it brought down using "electronic warfare".

US officials disputed the claim, saying the drone malfunctioned.

In November, the US said Iranian warplanes shot at a surveillance drone flying in international airspace.

Iran said the aircraft had entered its airspace, and said it would respond "decisively" to any foreign encroachments.

Also last month, Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Mohammad Khazaee, wrote to secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon to complain about repeated US violations of Iranian airspace, describing them as "illegal and provocative acts".

Mr Khazaee claimed US craft had entered southern Iran seven times in October around Bushehr, where Iran's only nuclear power station is situated.

The United States and Iran are locked in an ongoing dispute over Tehran's nuclear program.

Washington and its allies believe Tehran is trying to develop an atomic bomb, while Iran says its program is purely peaceful.

Reuters