Iran Calls Harassment of Its Civilian Plane ‘Violation of Int’l Law’

IRAN NEWS NATIONAL DESK

TEHRAN – Vice-President for Legal Affairs Laya Joneidi says the U.S. jet fighters’ harassment of an Iranian passenger plane over the Syrian airspace was a violation of the international law, and can be legally pursued at international tribunals.

“Harassment of a civilian airplane is a violation of the principles of the international law, and can be legally pursued at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council and the International Court of Justice,” Joneidi said on Friday.

She said the behavior of U.S. jet fighters towards the Mahan Air Flight 1152 was harassment of a passenger plane in a third country’s territory, which is a blatant violation of aviation safety and a breach of the freedom of the air for civilian flights.

Joneidi said the move contradicts the Article 3 and Article 44 of the 1947 Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention) as well as the 1971 Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation (known as Montreal Convention).

The explanations provided so far have not been convincing or justifiable, she said, adding that the U.S. government is held accountable for its jet fighters’ behavior towards the Iranian flight.

Meanwhile Minister of Roads and Urban Development said that Iran expects International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to issue a statement about U.S. move taken against Mahan Airliner.

Mohammad Eslami pointed to the harassment of two U.S. warplanes for Iran’s Mahan airline flying over Syrian sky , which resulted in injury for several passengers of the flight and added, “Mahan plane was traveling on the international trade route and this U.S. violation is a terrorist act that should be prosecuted in the international body.”

The international community should condemn this move taken by the United States against the Iranian airliner, he said, adding, “Islamic Republic of Iran will follow up the case against the United States through its representative in ICAO in next few hours.”

Elsewhere in his remarks, Eslami said that the harassment is a clear violation to legal rights and against the safety of passengers and added, “according to ICAO rules, all countries have a duty to ensure the safety of flights in their own country, and this is a requirement for all countries.”

No fighter jet has the right to enter the commercial route of aircraft, he said, adding, “commercial and international flight routes are known and no warplane has the right to invade or enter the commercial route. Mahan Airlines has a flight license and its route is quite clear, so, there is nothing ambiguous on this flight and all issues related to this flight are clear.”

Later Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi says Tehran is investigating the details of the Thursday night’s incident involving a Beirut-bound Mahan Air flight.

In a statement, Mousavi said Iran will take necessary political and legal actions once the investigation is completed.

“Meanwhile, Iran’s permanent representative and ambassador to the United Nations Majid Takht-Ravanchi has explicitly emphasized to UN Secretary General Antontio Guterres that Iran will hold the US responsible if anything happens to this airplane in its way back,” Mousavi added.

The message has also been conveyed to the Swiss ambassador to Tehran, whose country protects the U.S. interests in Iran, he noted.

Two U.S. fighter jets came close to a Mahan Air passenger plane in Syrian airspace, causing the pilot to quickly change altitude to avoid collision.

A video posted by Iran’s IRIB news agency showed a jet from the window of a plane and blood on the face of a passenger – reportedly as a result from an injury sustained during the sudden altitude change.

IRIB initially reported a single Israeli jet had come near the plane but later quoted the pilot as saying there were two jets which identified themselves as American.

The pilot of the passenger plane contacted the jet pilots to warn them about keeping a safe distance and the jet pilots identified themselves as American, IRIB reported.

The plane later landed in Beirut, safely evacuating its passengers, some of whom were injured.

It immediately took off and returned to Tehran’s Imam Khomeini without any harassment, media reports say.