US military: Approach to Iranian plane was to ensure safety
The US military confirmed that one of its fighter jets had encountered a Mahan plane in Syrian skies, saying it was an act to ensure the safety of its forces. Iran announced that it would complain to the Security Council and the UN Secretary-General.
A spokesman for the US Central Command in the Middle East confirmed that a US military fighter jet encountered a Mahan passenger plane in the skies of Syria on Thursday evening (July 23).
According to a US military spokesman, the Mahan plane had come too close to the Tanf military base where American forces are stationed.
According to Reuters, Captain Bill Urban said that after the Mahan passenger plane passed near the Tanf military base, a US F-15 jet flew towards it and conducted reconnaissance.
He said that all safety regulations were observed in the aforementioned operation, and the American fighter jet maintained the necessary distance from the Iranian plane and did not come closer than about a thousand meters to the plane.
The US military official added that the F-15 fighter jet moved away from the Iranian plane after ensuring it was a normal passenger plane.
Possibility of Iran's complaint
On Thursday evening, Iranian mass media first reported that two Israeli fighter jets had approached a Mahan plane bound for Beirut, but hours later the pilot of the Iranian flight said that the fighter jets were American.
Mahan passenger plane Flight 1152 was en route from Tehran to Beirut, and as the American fighter jet approached, it was forced to lower its altitude and only resumed its flight after making an emergency landing in Damascus and landing at Beirut Airport.
It is said that due to the sudden reduction in flight speed, several passengers were injured, three of whom were taken to the hospital.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said: “The details of this incident are under investigation, and after the information is completed, the necessary political and legal measures will be taken.”
The Islamic Republic News Agency, IRNA, also wrote that Iran will soon send a letter to the United Nations expressing its protest over this "dangerous" incident.
According to the news agency, Iran's letter will be sent to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Security Council of the organization to be registered as a document in that international organization.
Source: DW
