Iran has finally admitted that they were the ones that shot down a Ukranian passenger plane but did so ‘unintentionally’, a report on Metro.co.uk states.
The country’s military has now admitted doing so, after days of denial that it was responsible but now their government says the disaster was as the result of ‘human error caused by American adventurism’
The plane was shot down early on Wednesday, hours after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on two military bases housing US troops in Iraq.
No-one was injured in the attacks, which were in retaliation for the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in an American airstrike in Baghdad.
A military statement carried by Iranian state media said the plane was mistaken for a ‘hostile target’ after it turned towards a ‘sensitive military centre’ of the Revolutionary Guard.
The military was at its ‘highest level of readiness,’ it said, amid the heightened tensions with the US.
‘In such a condition, because of human error and in an unintentional way, the flight was hit,’ the military added.
On Twitter, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the downing of the Boeing 737-800 was the result of ‘human error at time of crisis caused by U.S. adventurism (that) led to disaster.’
The Iranian military apologized and said it would upgrade its systems to prevent future tragedies. It also said those responsible for the strike on the plane would be prosecuted.
President Hassan Rouhani added: ‘The Islamic Republic of Iran deeply regrets this disastrous mistake.
‘My thoughts and prayers go to all the mourning families.
Credit: metro.co.uk. | Ghbase.com