Tehran (Basirat) : Iran commemorated the 30th anniversary of the downing of the airbus passenger plane by a US Navy guided-missile cruiser in the Persian Gulf waters back in 1988.

The Airbus A300B2 civilian aircraft was flying in Iranian airspace over the Strait of Hormuz from the port city of Bandar Abbas to Dubai, carrying 274 passengers and 16 crew members on July 3, 1988, when USS Vincennes fired two SM-2MR surface-to-air missiles at it.

One of the missiles hit the plane, killing all the 290 onboard.

On Tuesday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement to commemorate the victims and once again censure the US Navy’s horrific crime.

"Years after this horrific tragedy and barbaric operation, the pain and suffering caused by the crime have not been relieved yet,” Qassemi said in the statement.

The "disgraceful smear” is still on the face of the US government, which does not feel ashamed for blatant violations of international rules and conventions, he added.

A year later, the captain of the USS Vincennes, William C. Rogers, was cleared of any wrongdoing in the incident, and was even awarded America’s Legion of Merit medal by then President George Bush for his "outstanding service.”

The atrocity especially stoked anti-American sentiment as it coincided with the final year of the former Iraqi regime’s eight-year imposed war, which had been waged against Iran with Washington’s all-out political and material support.

The statement added that the "disgraceful smear” is still on the face of the US government, which does not feel ashamed for blatant violations of international rules and conventions.

An Iranian woman was filmed crying and calling for her martyred father who has been away from her side since 30 years ago, on the anniversary of the downing of the 655 airbus passenger plane by the US Navy in the Persian Gulf waters.

The Airbus A300B2 civilian aircraft had 66 under-13 children and 53 women as well as 46 non-Iranians on-board during the attack.

Source:Tasnim

