An Iranian Airbus A310 belonging to Mahan Air was intercepted by two American F-15s above Syria, Iranian media report on Thursday. Several passengers are said to have been injured during the manoeuvre. The United States contradict Iran’s version of events.
The Mahan Air A310 operated a passenger flight from the Iranian capital city Tehran to Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon. According to Iranian statements, two US F-15 fighter jets over Syria flew so close to the A310 that the aircraft was forced to perform an evasive manoeuvre. Several passengers were injured as a result of the sudden change of altitutde.
The U.S. Military confirms the deployment of the two F-15s around the A310. According to the U.S. statement, the jets were deployed in order to identify the aircraft as a Mahan Air passenger flight. Captain Bill Urban, the senior Central Command spokesman, told Reuters that the F-15s “conducted a standard visual inspection of a Mahan Air passenger airliner at a safe distance of about 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) from the airliner this evening.”
‘The visual inspection occurred to ensure the safety of coalition personnel at At Tanf garrison,” he added. According to the U.S., the interception was carried out in accordance with international standards.