Former Iranian security official details failed US operation in Isfahan

A former senior Iranian security official has provided new claims about an alleged US special forces operation in central Iran, describing it as a large-scale and coordinated mission that ultimately failed due to rapid Iranian response.

Alaeddin Boroujerdi, former head of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security Commission, said in an interview that the operation took place in the Dasht-e Mahyar area of Isfahan province. He suggested that the mission’s scale indicates objectives beyond what was publicly reported, News.Az reports, citing Iranian media.

According to Boroujerdi, the deployment included multiple transport aircraft, special forces units, fighter jets, and drones. He claimed that US forces used an abandoned airfield in the Mahyar Plain, located roughly 20 kilometers north of Shahreza, as a staging point for the operation in the region of Dasht-e Mahyar.

He alleged that the operation involved C-130 aircraft escorted by around 80 elite special forces personnel. In addition, he claimed that several combat aircraft—including F-15, F-16, and F-35 jets—along with approximately 20 drones, were part of the mission’s air cover.

Boroujerdi further stated that the scale of the deployment suggests the primary objective was to locate and transport enriched uranium out of Iran, rather than a limited rescue mission as some reports had suggested.

He also described a chaotic withdrawal phase, claiming that some US personnel were already on the ground when the situation escalated. According to his account, US forces attempted to evacuate using remaining aircraft after coming under pressure.

He alleged that two C-130 aircraft were targeted and disabled during the operation, forcing US forces to destroy some of their own equipment through airstrikes to prevent it from being captured.

Boroujerdi characterized the incident as a significant operational failure for the United States, adding that the public narrative was later shifted toward focusing on the reported rescue of an F-35 pilot rather than the broader mission outcome.

The claims have not been independently verified, and no official confirmation has been provided by US authorities regarding the details of the alleged operation.

Tensions between Washington and Tehran remain high amid ongoing disputes over security, nuclear concerns, and regional influence. Incidents involving covert operations, intelligence activity, and military posturing have frequently been reported in the region, though often with conflicting accounts from different sides.

As with many sensitive security incidents, details remain disputed, and independent verification is limited.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada