THE Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces deployed a high-ranking delegation to investigate the helicopter crash on May 19.
Former Foreign Minister Javad Zarif told Iran’s state media that U.S. sanctions that affected Iran’s aviation industry caused the death of their top politicians.
Several Iranian experts echoed the same sentiment, stating that U.S. sanctions have deprived the Islamic Republic of the ability to renew and repair its fleet for decades.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also blamed American sanctions for the tragic crash which affected the safety level of the aircraft in Iran.
John Kirby, spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council, called the accusations “utterly baseless” and denied that U.S. sanctions played a role concerning the crash.
A Turkish drone was the first to locate traces of the decades-old charred aircraft at the crash site as hundreds scoured through the mountainous and foggy terrain to look for the victims.
The results of the investigation will be announced once investigators complete their mission.
