Christopher Helali spoke from Isfahan, where the Iranian authorities displayed the wreckage of a destroyed American aircraft

The US rescue operation inside Iran earlier this month was actually a botched attempt by Washington to seize Tehran's enriched uranium, geostrategic analyst Christopher Helali has said.

He gave an exclusive interview to RT on Saturday from a site outside the city of Isfahan where the Iranian authorities displayed the wreckage of American aircraft destroyed in the area on April 3-5.

Washington confirmed the loss of two MC-130J Hercules transport planes, four MH-6 Little Bird helicopters, an A-10 Thunderbolt and an MQ-9 Reaper drone during what US President Donald Trump called "one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in US History" to recover the pilot of an F-15E Strike Eagle, which had been downed by Iran.

Helali insisted that the rescue mission was just a cover up for "an enrichment uranium extraction operation by the US special forces."

"The scale of destruction of all of the equipment left behind showed that this was a major operation - probably weeks and months in planning - and clearly it absolutely failed," he said.

Another proof that the Americans were after the enriched uranium is that "a passport of a mechanical engineer specializing in nuclear technology... capable of dealing with radioactive material" was found within the wreckage, the analyst added.

He filmed himself with the debris of the US aircraft, which he said included "multiple parts of different MC-130s... and the Little Birds - those small helicopters that are used in special operations."

Judging by the footage, the display attracted thousands of visitors, who carried Iranian national flags and chanted anti-American and anti-Israeli slogans.

"The people have gathered here to celebrate the defeat of the US in this operation and overall Iran's victory so far in this ongoing war of aggression," Helali said.

Among those who gathered, "the feeling is one of energy, one of resilience, one of dignity, and clearly the people are coming out in full force to show their support for their country," he stressed.

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(RT.com)