Former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has blamed United States (US) sanctions for the crash which led to death of country’s president Ibrahim Raisi, foreign minister Hossen Amir-Abdollahian and other government officials.
Zarif disclosed this in an interview with his country’s state television.
“One of the main culprits of yesterday’s tragedy is the United States, which embargoed the sale of aircraft and aviation parts to Iran and does not allow the people of Iran to enjoy good aviation facilities,” Zarif said.
READ ALSO: Iran President Death: Nigerian Christian Clergies Commemorate with Tehran
He added that “these will be recorded in the list of US crimes against the Iranian people.”
Meanwhile, the Independent aviation analyst and consultant Alex Macheras tells Al Jazeera it is likely that the decades-long sanctions against Iran have played a role in the helicopter crash because its fleet is old and deteriorating.
“The helicopter involved was acquired over 40 years ago. … Iran is home to the world’s oldest commercial aviation fleet. It is a similar scenario to those aircraft that are owned privately,” Macheras said.
About 2,000 Iranians have died in aircraft crashes since 1979, he added.
“This is a country that because of the sanctions has struggled to obtain spare parts. In aviation, spare parts are fundamental in order to provide adequate maintenance not least to young jets but especially to the older jets that need extra care,” Macheras said.
“When aircraft are not receiving the maintenance that is required, you end up in a territory that puts ultimately the lives of those on board an older aircraft at risk,” he added.
READ ALSO: BREAKING: Iran President, Foreign Minister, Others Found Dead At Helicopter Crash Site
In the same vein, world leaders have conveyed the condolences to Iran Supreme leader and the Iranian over the crash.
CHINA
Chinese President Xi Jinping called the crash “tragic death” of Raisi “a great loss to the Iranian people, and the Chinese people have lost a good friend”.
PAKISTAN
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared a day of mourning in Pakistan following the death of Raisi.
MALAYSIA
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he was “deeply saddened” by the news, noting that he had the “honour” of meeting Raisi last November.
EUROPEAN UNION
President of the European Council, Charles Michel, expressed the bloc’s “sincere condolences” for the death of Raisi, Amirabollahian and the other Iranian officials who died in the crash.
INDIA
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “deeply saddened and shocked” by Raisi’s death.
IRAQ
“We express our solidarity with the brotherly Iranian people and the officials of the Islamic Republic during this painful tragedy,” Prime Minister Shia al-Sudani said in a statement.
HAMAS
The Palestinian group conveyed its “deepest condolences and solidarity to Khamenei, the government and the Iranian people for “this immense loss”.
TURKEY
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan expressed condolences and said Ankara had been in contact with Iran since hearing about the crash on Sunday.
RUSSIA
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed condolences over the death of two top officials he called “reliable friends” of Russia.
“Their role in strengthening mutually beneficial Russian-Iranian cooperation and trusting partnership is invaluable,” Lavrov said.
YEMEN’s HOUTHIS
Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, head of the Houthi’s Supreme Revolutionary Committee, expressed his “deepest condolences” to the Iranian people and the families of the officials who died in the crash.
SOURCE: ALJAZEERA