Iranian Fighter Jet Crashes, Killing Two Pilots

Iranian state television reported that an Iranian F-4 Phantom fighter jet crashed close to the Pakistan border, killing two pilots.

The crash took place on January 12 some 45 miles west of Konarak Air Base, around 900 miles southeast of the Iranian capital, Tehran.

The report said that the cause of the crash was unknown but investigations were underway. The pilots were on a training mission.

Iran's Air Force purchased the U.S.-manufactured Phantom warplanes before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. It also has Iranian and Russian-made fighters in service.

Several warplane crashes have taken place in Iran in recent years. Most recently, in July 2014, an F-4 fighter jet crashed in the south of the country, killing two pilots.

Based on reporting by AP and AFP