Zarif blames ‘US adventurism’ over tragic plane incident, offers apologies

TEHRAN (defapress) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif expressed apologies and condolences to all who have been affected by the tragic Ukrainian plane crash in Tehran, saying that US adventurism has led to this disaster.

News ID: 79863

Date: 11 January 2020 - 10:36

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

“Our profound regrets, apologies and condolences to our people, to the families of all victims, and to other affected nations,” he added.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran said that the cause of the Ukrainian passenger plane crash near Tehran has been “human error” in an air defense base, which happened amid missile strikes against US military base and considering the possibility of a military action in the accident

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 General Staff of the Armed Forces said those responsible for shooting down the passenger jet would "immediately" be brought before military justice.

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