Iran Makes Arrests in Case of Downed Passenger Jet, But Still Points Finger at US
Iran is claiming that even though an Iranian pulled the trigger that led to the deaths of 176 people aboard a Ukrainian jetliner, President Donald Trump is guilty of the deed.
“It was the U.S. that made for an agitated environment. It was the U.S. that created an unusual situation. It was the U.S. that threatened and took our beloved (Soleimani),” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said, according to Fox News.
The jetliner was shot down Wednesday, not long after Iran lobbed missiles at a base in Iraq housing U.S. forces. Iran first blamed the crash on technical issues, but was later forced to admit that it downed the plane.
Rouhani said that any members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard who were involved in downing the jetliner — something Iran at first denied — “should be punished.”
“The judiciary should form a special court with a ranking judge and dozens of experts,” Rouhani said in a televised speech. “This is not an ordinary case. The entire world will be watching this court.”
“The responsibility falls on more than just one person,” Rouhani said, without naming names or saying how many people are being detained in connection to the tragedy. CBS reported that “dozens” of people had been arrested.
Iran has also been busy rounding up protesters involved in weekend marches that demanded the ouster of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei.
Reuters reported that 30 people have been taken into custody. Despite the arrests, the protests continue.
January 14 – Tehran, #Iran
Tehran University
Students holding a rally and chanting:
“1,500 civilians were killed in November!”
“We’re tired of tyranny!”#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/MlYsm8gUpf— People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 14, 2020
As Iran cracked down on those defying the regime, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi attacked Trump for his Farsi-language tweets supporting Iranian anti-government protesters.
“Hands and tongues smeared with threatening, sanctioning and terrorizing the #Iranian nation, are not entitled to dishonor the ancient #Persian_language. By the way, are you actually “standing by” millions of Iranians whose hero you just assassinated or “standing against” them?!” he tweeted.
Hands and tongues smeared with threatening, sanctioning and terrorizing the #Iranian nation, are not entitled to dishonor the ancient #Persian_language.
By the way, are you actually “standing by” millions of Iranians whose hero you just assassinated or “standing against” them?! https://t.co/sfmT0qLXJq pic.twitter.com/6IwJL1uYUh— S.A MOUSAVI (@SAMOUSAVI9) January 12, 2020
Iran was not alone in pointing the finger at America. Canada-based Maple Leaf Foods CEO Michael McCain tore into Trump and the U.S.
“U.S. government leaders unconstrained by checks/balances, concocted an ill-conceived plan to divert focus from political woes. The world knows Iran is a dangerous state, but the world found a path to contain it; not perfect but by most accounts it was the right direction,” he tweeted.
“A narcissist in Washington tears world accomplishments apart; destabilizes region. US now unwelcomed everywhere in the area including Iraq; tensions escalated to feverish pitch. Taking out despicable military leader terrorist? There are a hundred like him, standing next in line.”
..A narcissist in Washington tears world accomplishments apart; destabilizes region. US now unwelcomed everywhere in the area including Iraq; tensions escalated to feverish pitch. Taking out despicable military leader terrorist? There are a hundred like him, standing next in line
— Maple Leaf Foods (@MapleLeafFoods) January 13, 2020
His was not the only Canadian voice blaming the U.S.
On Monday, Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau, speaking of the 57 Canadians killed in crash, obliquely blamed the U.S., saying said “those Canadians would be, right now, home with their families” if it were not for “escalation recently in the region,” according to the Financial Times.
“This is something that happens when you have conflict and war, innocents bear the brunt of it,” he said. “It’s a reminder why all of us need to work so hard on de-escalation, on moving forward to reduce tensions and find a pathway that doesn’t involve further conflict.”
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