A U.S. fighter jet has been threatened by a passenger plane over Syria, according to Iran. The pilot of the Iranian plane from Mahan Air had to start an evasive maneuver to avoid a collision, the Iranian media reported. Several passengers were injured.
The plane was en route from Tehran to Beirut. The U.S. military said the F-15 fighter had carried out a visual inspection. This was done at a distance of about 1,000 meters from the Iranian aircraft.
The U.S. statement came after Iranian state broadcaster Irib released amateur footage from the Mahan Air machine and accused Israel of the incident. An amateur video broadcast by Irib showed screaming passengers on the Mahan Air plane on its way from Tehran to Beirut.
Israel and the United States have long accused Mahan Air of carrying weapons for Iranian-allied fighters in Syria and elsewhere. The United States imposed sanctions on Mahan Air in 2011 on the grounds that the company had provided financial and other support to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.
