Iranian military admitted to unintentionally shooting down Ukraine’s passenger plane that resulted in a horrific crash killing all 176 passengers including crew aboard.
The admission came on Saturday morning in a statement of the Iranian President describing it as a ‘human error’.
When the Iranian regime repeatedly lies about shooting down a commercial airliner, killing all innocents on board, and then bulldozes through the crash site for days to cover their tracks, do you really believe they tell the truth on nukes? https://t.co/pTDzqtJS15
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) January 11, 2020
So, we’re just gonna leave out the part about Iran killing a U.S. contractor and the Iranian-backed Katai’ib Hezbollah and PMF attacking the US embassy in Iraq now? This didn’t *just* start with the U.S. airstrike that killed Soleimani. https://t.co/htJExvxucQ
— Siraj Hashmi (@SirajAHashmi) January 11, 2020
After repeated denials the Iranian regime admits that it shot down Ukrainian passenger plane. https://t.co/9augWe1i5v
— Rita Panahi (@RitaPanahi) January 11, 2020
The idea that the US is to blame for the Iranian military shooting down a civilian plane in its own airspace is patently absurd. Mistakes happen…but the fog of war is not to blame here. And the Iranians need to take responsibility for not shutting down civilian air traffic https://t.co/oqa45EGsOI
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) January 11, 2020
The passenger plane crashed hours after the Iranian military targeted two USA military bases in Iraq, on Wednesday in retaliation to the assassination of the top Iranian military commander, Qassem Soleimani.
Iran’s admission of mistakenly shooting down Ukraine’s passenger plane generated massive reactions on social media. Global Twitter users blasted the Iranian military for a gross miscalculation that claimed the lives of innocent people.
BREAKING: #IRAN admits shooting down the Ukrainian Airplane says human error, accidental, the plane turned toward an IRGC military base.#IranPlaneCrash
— Farnaz Fassihi (@farnazfassihi) January 11, 2020
I’m in tears. It took you 3 days to admit you fired the fatal rockets that brought down Ukraine jet. If you had grounded all flights as you fired missiles at US these lives wouldn’t be lost. #IranPlaneCrash https://t.co/NWiTQy3jys
— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) January 11, 2020
Iran lost its top general.
Lost 56 people in a stampede at the funeral.
Accidently shot down Ukrainian #PS752, lost 176.
Failed to inflict any US casualties.
Declared victory.This lack of operational readiness reveals a lot about its conventional capabilities. #IranPlaneCrash
— Asfandyar Bhittani (@AsfandBhittani) January 11, 2020
Wonder how a civilian aircraft squawking an assigned code, in controlled airspace,with a filed IFR Flight Plan, a scheduled flight, just a couple of miles out of the airport and climbing is thought to be an enemy plane & shot down by a missile? just unbelievable!! #IranPlaneCrash
— Fakhr-e-Alam S.I & S.E (@falamb3) January 11, 2020
Sahar was kind and thoughtful. Her father said, ‘she was my sweet heart.’ I think of her, Elsa, and their grieving loved ones tonight. #IranPlaneCrash #UkrainianPlaneCrash pic.twitter.com/9Y9Ks9wdZa
— Caryn Lieberman (@caryn_lieberman) January 10, 2020
Questions raised on the operational readiness of the Iranian military as people recounted that the episode of the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani spurred a chain of events that killed innocent people.
Nearly 50 died in a stampede during Soleimani’s funeral, while 176 people died in a plane crash after the Iranian force misread the situation.
Social media feared that if allowed to acquire nuclear weapons Iran can even destroy the world accidentally.
Exactly, This is the epitome of non professionalism and naivety by Iran. If you want to go to war with super powers then get some schooling to not to shoot planes carrying innocent people. #IranPlaneCrash https://t.co/2n44x85D9h
— Syed Ali Haider (@SyedAliHaider13) January 11, 2020
They even challenged the Iranian government thumping claims of concluding revenge with the missiles attack on US bases as none of the American soldiers were hurt but the events claimed the lives of innocent people.
Read more: Rouhani calls Ukranian plane shoot down “disastrous mistake”
Criticism unleashed on Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif‘s tweet expressing condolence and regret on the incident. The social media users slammed him that it took three days for his government to admit a fatal mistake.
Iran is using a bulldozer at the #Ukrainian flight #PS752 crash site, likely destroying evidence before investigators finish. If hit by a #missile then this is a crime scene. Yet another example of either extraordinary incompetence or a blatant cover-up by #Iran. #IranPlaneCrash pic.twitter.com/KVp4S9s5kT
— Matthew VanDyke (@Matt_VanDyke) January 10, 2020
Social media censured the Iranian military for being unable to distinguish between an American fighter jet and a passenger plane that took off from its airport.
The critics asserted that Iran’s assertions on its nukes program are untrustworthy after its manipulation on the missile attack on Ukraine’s plane.
Read more: Pakistan’s foreign policy in tough spot: Who to choose, Iran or US?
Pakistani social media users drew comparisons between Pakistan’s military and Iranian military. Adding that Pakistan closed its airspace for all the civilian air traffic after mini-combat with India last year to avoid such catastrophes. Iran, too, should have taken the precautions before unleashing missile attacks on US bases.