Iran: Ukrainian plane brought down ‘due to human error’‎

Iran says a Ukrainian plane which crashed outside Tehran this week had flown close to a ‎sensitive military site and been brought down due to human error “at a time of crisis caused ‎by US adventurism.” ‎

News ID: 448463

Date: 11 January 2020 - 15:52

RNA – Iran says a Ukrainian plane which crashed outside Tehran this week had flown close ‎to a sensitive military site and been brought down due to human error “at a time of crisis ‎caused by US adventurism.” ‎

In a statement issued on Saturday, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic ‎Republic of Iran said that at the time of the incident, the forces had been on the highest ‎alert, according to Press TV.‎

All 176 people on the Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) flight died in the crash this week ‎just after take-off from Tehran on a flight to Kiev.‎

‎“The Islamic Republic of Iran deeply regrets this disastrous mistake,” President Hasan ‎Rouhani wrote on Twitter. “My thoughts and prayers go to all the mourning families. I offer ‎my sincerest condolences.”‎

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif offered Iran’s “profound regrets, apologies and ‎condolences to our people, to the families of all victims, and to other affected nations.”‎

‎“A sad day. Preliminary conclusions of internal investigation by Armed Forces: Human error ‎at time of crisis caused by US adventurism led to disaster,” he tweeted.‎

The general staff of the armed forces said those responsible for shooting down the ‎passenger jet would “immediately” be brought before military justice.‎

It assured that “by pursuing fundamental reforms in operational processes at the armed ‎forces’ level, we will make it impossible to repeat such errors.”‎

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