As much humiliating as this request sounds, i think many of you failed to understand the intended political message of this request. It's supposed to make Iran the ''aggressor'' and US a "victim" in the eyes of many hill billy Americans. Iran is now the aggressor for taking a US plane hostage and US the innocent victim losing a plane to Iran. Though i'm sure it might just backfire, however it will for sure infuriate some American audience.
Correct.
That is 100% the intention of the US here.