Rouhani: Investigations will continue to identify and prosecute all involved in plane crash tragedy
January 11, 2020 - 9:20
TEHRAN - President Hassan Rouhani has pledged to continue investigations for identifying and prosecuting all individuals involved in the unintentional shootdown of the Ukrainian plane which crashed shortly after taking off from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini airport on January 8, leading to the death of 176 people on board.
In a statement on Saturday morning, Rouhani noted that the country "deeply regrets this disastrous mistake."
"Armed Forces’ internal investigation has concluded that regrettably, missiles fired due to human error caused the horrific crash of the Ukrainian plane (and) death of 176 innocent people. Investigations continue to identify (and) prosecute this great tragedy (and) unforgivable mistake," Rouhani said on his official Twitter account.
"My thoughts and prayers go to all the mourning families. I offer my sincerest condolences," he said, adding that "investigations continue to identify and prosecute this great tragedy and unforgivable mistake," he added.
Rouhani’s full text message is as follows:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
We are all from Allah and to Him, we shall return (Holy Quran)
Noble people of Iran
With the utmost regret and sorrow, hours ago I was informed of the outcome of the General Staff of the Armed Forces’ investigation into the Ukrainian passenger plane crash. In the atmosphere of threats and intimidation by the aggressive American regime against the Iranian nation after the martyrdom of General Qasem Soleimani, and in order to defend ourselves against possible attacks by the American Army, the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran were on full alert, which unfortunately led to this terrible catastrophe taking the lives of dozens of innocent people because of human error and mistaken shooting
The Islamic Republic of Iran is deeply sorry by this disastrous mistake, and I extend my deepest condolences to the families of the victims of this tragic incident on behalf of the Islamic Republic of Iran and instruct all related organs to take all necessary measures to compensate and sympathize with the bereaved families. I also express my deep condolences and sympathy to the Iranian government to the nations, governments, and families of non-Iranian victims. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be in full consular cooperation to identify and return the bodies of victims to their families.
This painful accident is not something that can be easily overlooked. Further investigation is needed to identify all the causes and roots of this tragedy and prosecute the perpetrators of this unforgivable mistake and inform the honorable people of Iran and the families of the victims about it.
It is also necessary to adopt the required arrangements and measures to address the weaknesses of the country's defense systems to make sure such a disaster is never repeated.
Again, I extend my condolences to the families of the victims of this painful accident, praying for those who lost their lives and wishing their bereaved families patience and rewards.
Hassan Rouhani
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/444008/Rouhani-Investigations-will-continue-to-identify-and-prosecute
Zarif blames ‘US adventurism’ over tragic plane incident, offers apologies
Politics
January 11, 2020 - 11:3
TEHRAN – 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.
“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.
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/444009/Zarif-blames-US-adventurism-over-tragic-plane-incident-offers
Ukrainian civil airliner downed due to human error: Armed Forces statement
Politics
January 11, 2020 - 8:20
TEHRAN- Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces released a statement early on Saturday noting that human error in an air defense base caused the Ukrainian passenger plane crash near Tehran's Imam Khomeini Airport which led to the loss of life of 176 people on board.
Following the tragic crash of a Boeing 737 Ukrainian airliner early on Wednesday near Tehran's Imam Khomeini Airport, the Armed Forces Staff immediately formed an investigation team independent of Civil Aviation Organization and issued a statement as follows:
1. Following threats made by the American president and military commanders on attacking targets on the soil of the Islamic Republic in case of Iran’s response [to the assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani], and due to unprecedented movements in the region’s airspace, Iranian Armed Forces were at the utmost level of readiness and alert.
2. Hours after the missile strike [of IRGC against the U.S. base], aircraft flights of U.S. terrorist forces increased near Iranian borders and also some reports of air threats against the country’s strategic centers were delivered to defense units and some targets were seen on radars which caused increased sensitivity in air defenses.
3. In such sensitive and critical conditions, flight No 752 of Ukraine International Airlines departs from Imam Khomeini Airport and while changing direction, it completely resembles a hostile target approaching a sensitive center of IRGC. In these circumstances, due to human error and unintentionally, the plane was targeted which unfortunately led to the martyrdom of a host of dear compatriots and loss of lives of a number of foreign nationals.
4. Offering condolences to the family of victims and expressing apologies over the human error, Iranian Armed Forces Staff assures the nation that it will make re-occurrence of such incidents impossible through conducting fundamental modifications in operations’ processes of the Armed Forces and that it will hand over the culprit to the military court so as to legally deal with the errors.
5. It was also announced to related officials in IRGC to take to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) and provide the nation with a detailed explanation.
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/444006/Ukrainian-civil-airliner-downed-due-to-human-error-Armed-Forces
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by rumbeando Fri Jan 10, 2020 6:26 pm
