TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday that the United States’ action in endangering the lives of Iranian passengers aboard airplane is “aerial terrorism”.

Speaking during a cabinet meeting, the president called on the international community and related bodies such as ICAO [the International Civil Aviation Organization] to counter the U.S. terrorist act.

“It is not possible for a fighter jet to get close to a passenger plane in a free international corridor and scare the people. Undoubtedly, this is aerial terrorism,” Rouhani said, adding, “Sending a fighter jet beside a passenger plane is aerial terrorism and must be dealt with as a terrorist. ICAO, [UN] Security Council and countries should counter it.” 

Rouhani said the U.S. takes all these “mischievous” acts because of its failures towards Iran.

U.S. warplanes operating illegally in Syria conducted aggressive maneuvers close to an Iranian Mahan Air flight over Syria’s al-Tanf region on Thursday. The plane was en route to the Lebanese capital, Beirut.

A passenger, who was aboard the Mahan Air Flight 1152, has sustained a spinal cord injury during the U.S. fighter jets’ harassment of the plane.

Rouhani went on to say that the Iranians will not give in to pressure and the White House has no way but respecting law and compensate for harms it has inflicted on the Iranian people.

The U.S. has inflicted the harshest sanctions in history of mankind against Iran by ditching the 2015 nuclear deal endorsed by the UN Security Council Resolution 2231.

In its sanctions pressure campaign against Iran under the “maximum pressure” strategy, the Trump administration has threatened to punish any company or country that do business with Iran.

Elsewhere in his Wednesday remarks, Rouhani repeated his previous remarks by saying that all religious rituals will be held by observing healthcare protocols.

Rouhani said on Saturday that Muharram mourning rituals will be held with observing healthcare protocols and social distancing.

During a meeting of the National Task Force for Fighting Coronavirus, Rouhani said that the mourning ceremony of Imam Hussein (AS) must be held throughout the country gloriously with precise observation of healthcare protocols.

The president noted that the ritual should be held in a way that it will not give a pretext to the enemies, but make Iran a role model for other countries and Shiites who hold mourning ceremony for Imam Hussein (AS).

During the Muharram rituals, millions of Muslims commemorate martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad.

NA/PA