Iran News Agency (IRNA) has just released a set of photos, saying "Brave Iranian nomads searching for American pilot."
From the relationships among the people shown, it looks like couples, elderly partners, or father-and-son teams. The weapons they hold appear to be hunting rifles—consistent with the characteristics of nomads, who use whatever is available.
Regarding the U.S. military's effort involving three aircraft to rescue a fighter aircraft weapon systems operator, Iran's former top national security secretary, Jalili, said: "In Iran, we have a well-known proverb that means making a bad situation worse: 'He originally just wanted to trim his eyebrow, but ended up blinding one of his own eyes.'
However, the U.S. side began praising the story of the injured F-15E aircraft weapon systems operator, stating that after ejection and injury, he was still able to walk, carrying only a handgun, and managed to evade Iranian search parties in enemy territory for more than a day.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861620942448969/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.