Iranian FM: I am still ashamed, sorry for tragedy of Ukrainian plane crash

AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said he was still ashamed and apologizing humbly and with a heart full of sorrow over the tragic incident of the crash of the Ukrainian plane last year which claimed lives of a number of Iranian elite.

In a note on his Instagram page, he stated that a year has passed since the bitter dawn of January 9 when the tragedy of the crash of a Ukrainian plane happened and led to the martyrdom of the elite children of Iran and the innocent people.

Zarif added in the memo on Wednesday night: "A year has passed since the bitter dawn of December 9, 1998 and the tragedy of the crash of a Ukrainian plane and the martyrdom of the elite children of this border and the sacrifice of innocent people." A tragedy that has devastated all of Iran. I know what bitter moments grieving parents experience and experience alone in losing their rabbits. I have sat next to some of them and, in sympathy with the bereaved, I am ashamed of my utter disability.

He continued: "I was one of the officials who, like other people, until the last hours before the public announcement, just listened to the speculations of the media, and despite following up, no information beyond the official news was announced to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs." But as soon as I learned of the situation on the afternoon of Friday, December 11, 1998, I emphasized that I should share the same situation honestly with the people and the world with shame.

Zarif added: "In those bitter hours of Friday afternoon, I knew very well that acknowledging such a bitter reality in the world is unprecedented or very unprecedented, and how much international pressure would follow for me and my colleagues, and I understood that accepting the terrible mistake of one or more people for bravery How difficult it is for them to devote their lives to defending these people and the borderland in accordance with sincerity.

He emphasized: "Although I had no role or even information about the military developments at midnight and the terrible tragedy on the morning of Black Wednesday, January 9, 1998, but as a humble official with a heart full of sorrow, I apologized to everyone and I am still ashamed and apologizing." .

He said: "Since that day, together with my colleagues in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have sincerely tried to fulfill our duties to find out the truth, help alleviate the suffering of families, prevent their rights from being violated and at the same time protect national interests against the evildoers of this border." Let's do it.

The Iranian Foreign Minister continued: "I understand that performing this complex task has sometimes caused the sensitivity and resentment of the bereaved, and I sincerely apologize to them."

"Again, I know that none of these efforts can ultimately compensate for a small part of this huge and irreparable damage," Zarif said.

The recent government decree is the first step, but as stated in the decree, it does not replace criminal proceedings in competent domestic courts, he noted.

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