News / Politics

Iran Judiciary: Intl. bodies must pursue US harassment of civilian flight

Tuesday, 28 July 2020 9:32 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 28 July 2020 9:55 AM ]

An image grab released by Iran Press news agency on July 24, 2020 shows released oxygen masks in the cabin of an Iranian passenger plane after it was harassed by US fighter jets while flying over Syria. (via AFP)

Iran’s Judiciary has slammed the “inhumane” US harassment of a Beirut-bound Mahan Air flight over Syrian airspace, calling on the Foreign Ministry to follow up on the “vicious” move through legal and diplomatic channels.

“The illegal and inhumane act of aggression committed by American fighter jets against the Mahan Air passenger plane was yet another manifestation of the American terrorists’ bestial nature,” Judiciary spokesman Gholam-Hossein Esmaeili said at a media briefing on Tuesday.

“The Judiciary calls on our country’s Foreign Ministry and international bodies to diplomatically and legally pursue the case as a deterrent measure,” he added.

On Thursday, two US F-15 warplanes conducted a dangerous maneuvering close to Mahan Air’s Flight 1152 that had taken off from Tehran and was heading to Beirut.

The incident took place over Syria’s al-Tanf region, where the US maintains an illegal military presence.

The airliner’s pilot was forced to swiftly lower the altitude to avoid a collision with the American jets.

The sudden swerve led to the injuries of some of the passengers and left them panicked. The flight, however, landed safely in the Lebanese capital and those wounded were taken to hospital.

Esmaeili denounced the incident as a clear violation of aviation rules and a breach of human rights, saying it has caused physical and mental harm to the passengers and flight crew.

He also emphasized that the Islamic Republic was in contact with Syria and Lebanon regarding the case.

Iran: We’ll make US regret harassing airliner

Iran has pledged that it will take necessary action to make the United States regret the recent harassment of an Iranian passenger plane by two American warplanes.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has vowed to take necessary action to make Washington regret its “terrorist and hostile” harassment of the Iranian passenger plane.

“The Americans try all sorts of banditry,” Spokesman Abbas Mousavi said in remarks Monday, noting that the incident showed the US has begun resorting to “air piracy after maritime piracy.”

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also said Washington had displayed “audacity to compound lawlessness upon lawlessness” and warned, “These outlaws must be stopped before disaster.”

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk

Iran Iran US US Mahan Air Mahan Air judiciary judiciary passenger plane passenger plane Gholam-Hossein Esmaeili Gholam-Hossein Esmaeili harrassment harrassment