President Rouhani urges action against US aerial terrorism

President Hassan Rouhani denounced the recent harassment of an Iranian passenger plane by American fighter jets over Syria as an act of “aerial terrorism”, calling for concerted action against such dangerous moves.

According to Tasnim news agency, speaking at a weekly cabinet session on Wednesday, Rouhani lashed out at the US for the “rudeness and dangerous mischief” in the sky, referring to the high-risk maneuvering by two US warplanes close to an Iranian airliner in the Syrian airspace on July 23.

It is an example of “aerial terrorism” when the fighter jets fly close to a passenger plane in a free international route and frighten the passengers, the president said, calling for action against the act of terrorism.

The reason for such evil activities is that the US has been defeated against Iran, Rouhani added. “We tell the White House rulers that you have only one option in the face of Iran, which is implementation of the law, agreements, and regulations and making up for the damages you have caused to people (of Iran).”

Rouhani also denounced the US’ push for the extension of an arms embargo on Iran which is going to expire in October under the 2015 nuclear deal, warning of Iran’s “very decisive response” to a possible extension of the embargo.

During past months, Washington has stepped up calls for the extension of the UN arms embargo on Iran, which will expire in October under UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorses the Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

ME