Ghalibaf: Any criminal act by US to accelerate Zionist regime’s end

In a tweet on Friday, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said he had been briefed about the US terrorists’ misconduct against a Mahan Air’s plane in a telephone conversation with the airline’s head.

“The Americans are lying about their routine maneuvering route, and Mahan Air pilot had to reduce altitude as he received traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) twice after the two aircraft got too close to the plane,” Ghalibaf said.

“The Americans tried to provide the grounds for a possible error in the hope of reaching their evil goals,” he said.

The speaker stressed, “Any crime by the Americans, will definitely accelerate the humiliating destruction of the arrogant [elements] in the region, especially the sinister Zionist regime.”

Two US warplanes put the lives of tens of Iranian and Lebanese civilians in danger after conducting dangerous maneuvering near Beirut-bound Mahan Air’s Flight 1152 on Syria’s air on Thursday night. The airliner’s pilot reportedly reduces flight altitude to avoid colliding with the warplanes which has led to several injuries among passengers.

Mahan Air said on Friday that 12 passengers and crew of the flight underwent the medical procedure in Beirut hospital due to injuries they suffered in the quick movement of the plane to escape the approaching US military jets.

Iran immediately reacted to the incident, saying it will give a firm response in proper time.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran leaves no hostile action against the Iranian nation unanswered and will give a firm and appropriate response to any unwise measure when the time is ripe,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said on Friday.

Mousavi went on to strongly condemn the ‘adventurous’ measure the CENTCOM terrorist organization and described it as a violation of international aviation rules and against regional peace and security.

CENTCOM’s claiming that warplanes were carrying out routine air missions near the al-Tanf military base and have made a visual inspection at a safe distance is ‘absurd’, said the spokesperson, describing such measure as a result of numerous violation of laws. “The presence of US troops in Syria is illegal, and so is the mission of its fighter jets. More importantly, no one has allowed the US to inspect civilian airliners with its fighter jets. This is illegal and dangerous, and endangers the lives of civilians especially given the fact that despite claims, no safe distance was being observed.”

The Islamic Republic of Iran will pursue this US action through international bodies such as ICAO and will not let America undermine the international laws with its bullying behavior, he said.

The spokesperson warned of any new adventure by the US or the Israeli regime in the region, adding that the stability of West Asia should not turn into an instrument for election campaigns of the US.