President Rouhani urges Russia, Turkey restraint over downing of plane

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has called for Russia and Turkey to show restraint over the downing of a Russian fighter jet by the Turkish military.

The governments of Russia and Turkey should follow up on the issue of downing of the Russian plane “with insight and prevent the recurrence of such incidents through prudence and patience,” President Rouhani said during a cabinet meeting in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, a Russian Su-24M Fencer aircraft with two pilots aboard was shot down by the Turkish military, in a move that angered Moscow, which is involved in an aerial campaign against Takfiri terrorists in Syria.

The Iranian president also urged all countries to prepare for the battle against terrorism to establish stability in the region.

He further described actions similar to the downing of the Russian plane as “extremely dangerous” and “provocative” and said the consequences of such measures “legally rest with the initiator.”