TEHRAN  -- On the eve of the 24th anniversary of the downing of Iran Air Flight 655 by the U.S. battleship Vincennes, a number of Iranian officials and other citizens gathered near the site of the incident in the Persian Gulf to remember the victims by throwing flowers into the waters of the sea.  

 

The U.S. Navy guided missile cruiser USS Vincennes shot down Iran Air Flight 655 over the Persian Gulf on July 3, 1988, killing all 290 passengers and crew members, including 66 children.

 

The U.S. government refused to apologize for the incident, claiming that the crew had mistaken the Iranian Airbus A300 for an attacking F-14 Tomcat fighter.

 

The Iranian Foreign Ministry also issued a statement on Monday, expressing sympathy with the families of the victims of the incident. 

 

The statement said, “This inhumane crime is clear proof of the innocence of the Iranian nation and (provides) clear evidence that the United States is not committed to any international legal and ethical principles and norms, and (it) will remain in the historical memory of the Iranian nation.”