News in Brief
Ukraine plane downing culprits sentenced to prison
Iran’s judiciary has announced prison sentences for 10 unnamed people responsible for the downing of a Ukraine International Airlines commercial flight in January 2020.
The prime suspect in the case, identified only as the commander of the Tor-M1 surface-to-air missile defense system that shot down the plane with two missiles, received a 10-year discretionary sentence for not heeding orders and three years for being “accessory to semi-intentional murder”, according to Mizan, the official judiciary news site.
The culprit will serve a maximum of 10 years in prison, minus time served, and must pay compensation to the families of the 176 victims of the flight, it said. Additionally, two personnel who were operating the missile system each received one-year sentences, while other officials in Tehran’s air defense controls and the aerospace division of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were given sentences ranging from one to three years.
IRGC chief: Armed Forces confront hostile threats
TASNIM – Hailing the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps and the Iranian Army as strong arms of the Islamic Republic, the IRGC commander said the Armed Forces are working hand in hand to combat threats and thwart hostile strategies.
In a message released on Monday, IRGC Commander Major General Hossein Salami offered his congratulations on the National Army Day, due to be celebrated on April 18. Praising the IRGC and the Army as the powerful arms of the Iranian nation that are at the forefront of safeguarding the national, revolutionary and religious values, the general said the military forces will continue to frustrate the sworn enemies of Iran. Highlighting the strategy of constant efforts to boost Iran’s military power, the commander stated that the Armed Forces would not neglect the enemy’s threats and plots even for a moment.