Iran Urges US to Stop Cover-Up over Downed Spy Plane, Ein al-Assad Fatalities

Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) urged Washington to tell the truth about American spy plane downed in Afghanistan, real number of Ein al-Assad fatalities, and flu victim in the US, instead of accusing Tehran of cover-up over coronavirus outbreak.

News ID: 449306

Date: 27 February 2020 - 09:48

RNA - In a Persian tweet on Tuesday, SNSC Secretary Ali Shamkhani censured the US double standards and said the accusation comes as the White House has failed to release precise reports about the extent of damage it suffered in Iran’s retaliatory missile attacks on Ein al-Assad military base in Iraq.

Shamkhani also noted that Washington has refused to provide data on the downing of a US spy plane in Afghanistan as well as the number of flu-related deaths in the United States over the past year.

Earlier in the day, Pompeo claimed that the United States was "deeply concerned" Iran may have covered up details about the coronavirus outbreak, and he called on world countries to "tell the truth" about the epidemic.

"The United States is deeply concerned by information indicating the Iranian regime may have suppressed vital details about the outbreak in that country," Pompeo told reporters, also criticizing Beijing for what he claimed as the censorship of media and medical professionals.

"All nations, including Iran, should tell the truth about the coronavirus and cooperate with international aid organizations," he added.

On January 8, the IRGC Aerospace Force started heavy ballistic missile attacks on US Ein Al-Assad airbase in Southwestern Iraq near the border with Syria and a US operated airbase in Erbil in retaliation for the US assassination of IRGC Qods Force Commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani.

Ein Al-Assad is an airbase with a 4km runway at 188m altitude from sea levels, which is the main and the largest US airbase in Iraq. Early reports said the radar systems and missile defense shields in Ein Al-Assad failed to operate and intercept the Iranian missiles. Unofficial reports said the US army's central radar systems at Ein Al-Assad had been jammed by electronic warfare.

The second IRGC reprisal attack targeted a US military base near Erbil airport in Iraqi Kurdistan Region in the second leg of "Martyr Soleimani" reprisal operation.

According to Fars News Agency, Iraq said the attacks had not taken any toll from its army men stationed at these two bases. The US army had blocked entrance into Ein Al-Assad to everyone, including the Iraqi army.

It was the first direct attack on the US army ever since the WWII.

The IRGC officials said none of the missiles had been intercepted.

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