Iran Press/Iran News: In a statement on Saturday morning, the General Staff of the Armed Forces added, given the unprecedented increase in air traffic by the US near Iran's borders after the country attacked US airbase in Iraq, Iran's armed forces were at their highest level of readiness to respond to possible threats and under these circumstances, the Ukrainian plane was targeted unintentionally in a tragic accident due to human error.
The statement says:
To the international community and the honourable Iranian nation:
(1) Iranian armed forces were in their highest state of alert given the threats issued by US president (Donald Trump) who had earlier threatened to hit a long list of targets within the Islamic Republic of Iran territory.
(2) After Iran's missile strike on US military positions in Iraq, there were numerous reports of hostile US aircraft flying just outside of Iranian airspace and numerous possible hostile targets were seen on Iranian radar screens. This nervousness and jittery nerves increased the likelihood of human error, which certainly played a part in this tragedy.
(3) Under such sensitive and tense conditions, we express our regret and sorrow that Ukrainian International Airlines flight 752, flying from Imam Khomeini International Airport was mistaken for a foreign warplane as it was flying in the vicinity of an IRGC military base and was regretfully and sadly shot down, resulting in the martyrdom of dear Iranian citizens as well as a number of foreign nationals and citizens of other countries.
(4) The Joint Chiefs of Iran's Armed Forces unreservedly apologizes and expresses its heartfelt condolences and deep sympathies with both the families and loved ones of the Iranian victims of this tragedy, as well as the families and loved ones of all foreign nationals who died in this tragic accident. We are currently reviewing all military procedures to put in place 'fail-safe mechanisms' to make sure that such tragic accidents will not happen in the future. We are currently reviewing all relevant military procedures with a view to ensure that such a situation will not happen ever again. Furthermore, those IRGC officials deemed responsible for this tragedy will be dealt with by the Judicial Branch of the Armed Forces who will prosecute all guilty parties.
(5) Senior IRGC officials will give a full account of what happened to the international community and the honourable Iranian people through the national broadcaster (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting IRIB). 211/101
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