An Iranian Mirage F-1 fighter crashed in northeastern Iran on Tuesday, killing the pilot and injuring the copilot, reported the official Iranian news agency, IRNA.
Witnesses told the agency that the plane crashed in the Kouy-e Amir Al Momeneen region near the northeastern city of Mashhad at around 11 a.m. local time (0630 GMT).
The pilot failed to open his parachute when he had to eject due to "yet unspecified reason" and was killed, but the copilot, who managed to open his parachute before the crash, was injured when he hit the ground, said IRNA.
Military officials declined to comment on the cause of the crash when contacted by the agency.
The aircraft is said to have been taking part in a clean-up operation in the border region against armed Afghan gangs involved in drug-running.
Iran is a major route of drugs originating from Afghanistan or Pakistan on their way to markets in the Arabian Gulf, Europe and onwards.
Opium, heroin, hashish and morphine are the prohibited drugs that enter the country in transit and single busts involving a ton or more of these drugs are not uncommon.
The government has spent nearly $20 million during the past year in the fight against drug smuggling and has armed thousands of villagers along its eastern border to help combat the traffickers – Albawaba.com
