Hezbollah: Interception of Iranian passenger plane by US jet fighters a highly dangerous terrorist act

BEIRUT, (ST)- The Lebanese national resistance movement Hezbollah has condemned as a highly dangerous  terrorist act the interception of an Iranian passenger plane by two US warplanes in the Syrian airspace.

In a statement on Friday, Hezbollah said that the US warplanes’ hostile act of intercepting an Iranian civilian plane carrying on board Lebanese passengers requires a firm international stance,” stressing that the US is an occupation power in the Syrian territories and airspace.

Hizbollah congratulated all the passengers of the plane, especially the Lebanese ones, on their safety, expressing solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Syrian Arab Republic against the US hegemony.

 On July 23, an Airbus A310 belonging to Iran’s Air Mahan was flying from Tehran to Beirut when two US F-15 warplanes intercepted it over the Syrian airspace. The pilot of the Iranian passenger plane was compelled to suddenly reduce the altitude, which resulted in the injury of some passengers. However, the plane continued its flight and landed at Beirut Airport.  

In the meantime, some Lebanese politicians and political parties called for a unified stance in support for Syria against the repeated Israeli attacks on Syrian territories and against the US occupation of  Syrian lands.

Former Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour told SANA correspondent in Beirut  that the recent Israeli acts of aggression against Syria confirm Israel’s evil intentions to undermine national Arab security. He reiterated that such flagrant aggressions must be faced by a unified Arab stance, because Syria, in its war on terrorism, is not only defending itself, rather it is defending all countries of the world.

In the same context, the Gathering of Lebanese National  Parties and Forces condemned the illegal presence of American troops in Syria.

It also condemned the act of intercepting an Iranian aircraft by US warplanes in the Syrian airspace, stressing that this American aggression indicates the continuity of the US policy of arrogance and criminality which violates all international laws and norms as well as all moral and human values.

Hamda Mustafa