Iran condemns U.S. jet fly-by of airliner, U.S. says it kept safe distance

 

Several passengers aboard an Iranian plane were reportedly injured on Thursday after the pilot changed altitude to avoid collision with a U.S. fighter jet, according to Iranian media. But the U.S. military said its F-15 was at a safe distance. Gloria Tso reports.

 

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran said on Friday a U.S. fighter jet "harassed" an Iranian civilian airliner in an act of terrorism that injured and panicked passengers, dismissing a U.S. account that the jet was merely conducting a visual inspection.

 

State TV video footage of the inside of the Mahan Air airliner showed a passenger lying immobile on the floor and another with a wounded nose and forehead, presenting his bloodied face mask to the camera.

 

Several passengers, some seen screaming and shouting, were injured in the flight manoeuvre over Syria as the airliner rapidly changed altitude to avoid collision, according to Iranian media.

 

The U.S. military said its F-15 had kept at a safe distance.

 

Its Central Command, which oversees American troops in the region, said the fighter was conducting a visual inspection of the airliner as it passed near the Tanf garrison in Syria, home to U.S. forces.

 

The inspection was carried out in accordance with international standards "at a safe distance of about 1,000 metres (3,280 feet)... to ensure the safety of coalition personnel at Tanf garrison," senior spokesman Captain Bill Urban said.

 

"Once the F-15 pilot identified the aircraft as a Mahan Air passenger plane, the F-15 safely opened distance from the aircraft."

 

The United States has long accused Mahan Air of ferrying weapons for Iranian-linked guerrillas in Syria and elsewhere and imposed sanctions on the airline since 2011.

 

The pilot of the passenger plane contacted the jet pilots to warn them to keep a safe distance and they identified themselves as American, Iran's official IRIB news agency reported.

 

Iranian Road Minister Mohammad Eslami was quoted by the semi-official ISNA news agency as saying Tehran had lodged a complaint with the International Civil Aviation Organization, describing Thursday's incident as a "terrorist act, one of aggression".

 

Laya Joneydi, vice president for legal affairs, was quoted as saying by Iranian media that the U.S. action was "harassment of a passenger plane" and a "clear violation of aviation security".

 

"The explanations provided so far (by the U.S. military) are unjustified and unconvincing," she said.

 

Lebanon's powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, condemned the incident in a statement as a "terrorist act ...that could have led to consequences of an unknown extent in the region".

 

'ELECTION PLAYTHING'?

 

Iran's Foreign Ministry said the encounter might be linked to the upcoming U.S. presidential election, state media reported.

 

"The security of West Asia should not become a plaything in the U.S. election campaign," ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said. He did not elaborate.

 

"Iran won't leave any hostile move against its nation unanswered and shall respond decisively and appropriately to any irrational move in due time," Mousavi said.

 

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused the United States of endangering civilian passengers. "These outlaws must be stopped before disaster," he tweeted.

 

The Iranian plane was heading from Tehran to Beirut.

 

Video footage showed oxygen masks fallen from the overhead roof panels. One jet can be seen through a seat window flying some distance away in a clear blue sky.

 

"I saw a black plane approaching us, and then we lost our balance," one unidentified injured passenger told state TV.

"It was a jet. Almost so near our plane."

 

 

(Reporting by Dubai newsroom additional reporting by Laila Bassam; Editing by Nick Macfie and John Stonestreet)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-07-25

 

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This is the full account of what really happen there according to the Jerusalem post:

 

Unraveling the mystery of US F-15s intercepting Iran’s Mahan air..

Read on :

 

https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/unraveling-the-mystery-of-us-f-15s-intercepting-irans-mahan-air-636210

so it appears that the F-15 did in fact encroach at a lesser distance than 1000 meters ..... albeit probably around 800-1000 although difficult to define,  

and I would say that the Mahan Airline pilot overreacted with a sudden altitude adjustment thereby causing passengers to be thrown around within the aircraft.

 

So,  I would put the blame on both parties equally as the F-15 was wrong and the Pilot did over-react.  imo

9 minutes ago, ezzra said:

This is the full account of what really happen there according to the Jerusalem post:

 

Unraveling the mystery of US F-15s intercepting Iran’s Mahan air..

Read on :

 

https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/unraveling-the-mystery-of-us-f-15s-intercepting-irans-mahan-air-636210

sorry, i hadn't read the link prior to my post as it was at the same time.

Tell them it was Tom Cruise flying the plane.  Everybody loves Tom Cruise. 

 

 

10 minutes ago, bendejo said:

Tell them it was Tom Cruise flying the plane.  Everybody loves Tom Cruise. 

 

 

yes, a tom cruise stunt is what took place, similar in intent as this

 

In the place and time where I grew up we called this a "psych out." 

Iran does a form of this in the Gulf with it's patrol boats.

 

Once while zipping through cable stations while sitting in a hotel room in an Arab country, trying to find something in English language, I came across that famous footage of the US leaving Viet Nam, with the fellow dangling from the last helicopter to leave the embassy.  The narrator (in English) explained that the man is the US ambassador.  Not true.  They looped the clip, the guy just went on and on.  With this in mind, I can only guess how this incident is being reported.

 

 

Guess the Iranians are still jumpy glad no one was killed

Hmm, political divides will always exists, but can't really see any justification for scaring civilian airlines. Its gutless and unnecessary.

5 hours ago, ezzra said:

This is the full account of what really happen there according to the Jerusalem post:

 

No, that is the account of an Israeli newspaper about an incident caused by their friends to their enemy. 

9 hours ago, rooster59 said:

 

"The explanations provided so far (by the U.S. military) are unjustified and unconvincing," she said.

 

maybe, but remember "might is right"! always, i'd add

the video shows only what happens after the pilot's action (overreaction?)

It is no proof for the American jet coming too close. Is there any proof - except the pilot's opinion?

If he just overreacted he won't probably like to admit it

5 hours ago, Rancid said:

Hmm, political divides will always exists, but can't really see any justification for scaring civilian airlines. Its gutless and unnecessary.

America has been checking out that airline in that area for almost ten years. Why would any pilot be surprised that R-15 showed up to take a close look at them?  A new unexperienced Iranian pilot I"d say.

trump has tried everything to provoke them sanctions/ ordering unlawful killings he will do anything to take focus off his failures to get elected  

The unspoken message the pilot delivered was "we're watching you guys."

 

 

1 hour ago, bendejo said:

The unspoken message the pilot delivered was "we're watching you guys."

 

 

So in your opinion harassing civilian aircraft is OK. Can you imagine the reaction if it had been the other way around... Iranian jets harassing Israeli or US civilian airlines?

Just now, dexterm said:

So in your opinion harassing civilian aircraft is OK. Can you imagine the reaction if it had been the other way around... Iranian jets harassing Israeli or US civilian airlines?

Why do you conclude it was in his opinion ok?

25 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Why do you conclude it was in his opinion ok?

Deconstruct the language used. The poster said the US pilot was delivering a message, the poster's tone was congratulatory, and his earlier post betrayed anti Iranian bias.

 

9 minutes ago, dexterm said:

Deconstruct the language used. The poster said the US pilot was delivering a message, the poster's tone was congratulatory, and his earlier post betrayed anti Iranian bias.

 

Disagree, but not worth an argument.

23 minutes ago, dexterm said:

Deconstruct the language used. The poster said the US pilot was delivering a message, the poster's tone was congratulatory, and his earlier post betrayed anti Iranian bias.

 

Sez you.

 

3 hours ago, bendejo said:

The unspoken message the pilot delivered was "we're watching you guys."

 

 

What does the cosy euphemistic message the US pilot was delivering "we're watching you guys" imply.."Dare to veer off your flight path and we'll shoot you down". Yo, Maverick!

Begs the question what the hell was a US pilot (uninvited by the Syrian government) doing patrolling the Syrian skies harassing a civilian aircraft (that was invited) 6,000 miles away home anyway? 

Edited July 26, 20205 yr by dexterm

2 hours ago, dexterm said:

So in your opinion harassing civilian aircraft is OK. Can you imagine the reaction if it had been the other way around... Iranian jets harassing Israeli or US civilian airlines?

 

That harassment would probably last all of 5 min.

1 hour ago, 4reaL said:

 

That harassment would probably last all of 5 min.

So you agree it was harassment.

Whatever your hypothetical time it was long enough to force the Iranian pilot to take sudden evasive action causing injury to passengers. By trivializing the actions of the US pilot, you are blaming the victim.

Can you imagine the furore if a Syrian or Iranian jet even for 5 seconds had invaded the airspace of USA or US ally Israel, and menaced a civilian aircraft.

 

But its OK by you because the USA can do no wrong when operating as uninvited self appointed air marshal 6,000 miles from its own backyard. Who's acting like a terrorist government?

Edited July 26, 20205 yr by dexterm

29 minutes ago, dexterm said:

So you agree it was harassment.

Whatever your hypothetical time it was long enough to force the Iranian pilot to take sudden evasive action causing injury to passengers. By trivializing the actions of the US pilot, you are blaming the victim.

Can you imagine the furore if a Syrian or Iranian jet even for 5 seconds had invaded the airspace of USA or US ally Israel, and menaced a civilian aircraft.

 

But its OK by you because the USA can do no wrong when operating as uninvited self appointed air marshal 6,000 miles from its own backyard. Who's acting like a terrorist government?

 

LOL, hilarious.

 

 

 

Sounds like a text book intercept per ICAO standards. Lead goes closer for positive ID, and to check for any surveillance pods. Wingman holds back. Then, lead breaks off 90 degrees away from Iranian flight path (that's what it looks like from the passenger's movie) -- which in ICAO parlance means "you may proceed." Why did the Iranian dive? Probably due to the TCAS system that detected the interceptor in a conflicting, slightly above altitude. Iran says they've complained about prior interceptions with "warning systems turned off." Probably talking about TCAS -- but in this case, the interceptor's TCAS was apparently turned on.

This is a flight that the passengers will remember for a long time.

  At least they did not see a missile being fired at them. Could have been

worse.  Fidgety Iranian pilot for sure. I doubt that this was the first

intercept in that area. Military bases are pretty nervous at times.

Geezer

13 hours ago, dexterm said:

What does the cosy euphemistic message the US pilot was delivering "we're watching you guys" imply.."Dare to veer off your flight path and we'll shoot you down". Yo, Maverick!

Begs the question what the hell was a US pilot (uninvited by the Syrian government) doing patrolling the Syrian skies harassing a civilian aircraft (that was invited) 6,000 miles away home anyway? 

 

My, aren't you reading a whole lot into a one-liner comment. What you posted is what you might think was implied, that's all. Regardless of what you think about them, such checks are nothing new, and is is very doubtful airlines and pilots flying in the region aren't aware of them.

 

Begs the question if you're trying to pretend being totally unaware of how things stand in Syria, how things got there and how/why various parties are involved.

 

As to why Iranian flights to Syria and Lebanon are monitored, one reason would be transfer of arms and related gear. There's at least on UNSC resolution directly applicable.

hello USS Vincennes ...

On 7/25/2020 at 8:19 AM, steven100 said:

sorry, i hadn't read the link prior to my post as it was at the same time.

The Iranian pilot seems like a rookie with nerves of jello. One can wonder if Americans or Israelis got into it with the Iranian Air Force. Probably a turkey shoot. Then the Iranian missiles would probably shoot down there own. 

Just now, checkered flag said:

The Iranian pilot seems like a rookie with nerves of jello. One can wonder if Americans or Israelis got into it with the Iranian Air Force. Probably a turkey shoot. Then the Iranian missiles would probably shoot down there own. 

He is an airline pilot, so yes, I would presume a rookie in air combat.