US should answer for supporting criminals behind targeting Iranian Airbus: Rouhani

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has criticized the US for not apologizing for targeting Iranian Airbus passenger plane in the Persian Gulf in 1988 and urged Washington to explain why it has eulogized the perpetrators of the crime.

"Unfortunately, the US administration has never officially apologized for committing this crime and has even eulogized the navy commander," IRNA news reported quoting Rouhani who addressed the National Task Force for Fighting the Coronavirus on Saturday.

The Iranian President further described the US act as "horrendous, and unacceptable" and hoped for the US administration to be aware of the fact that it has committed a big crime in 1988.

The aircraft, an Airbus A300, was destroyed by two surface-to-air missiles fired from the USS Vincennes warship, killing all 290 passengers on board, including 66 children under thirteen, 53 women, and all the 16 crew members. The plane had 36 foreign nationals on board from six countries.

The black box of the aircraft was never found.

After the tragic incident, Will Rogers III, the captain of the US Vincennes, was eulogized and awarded, which proved that the US navy's attack at Iranian passenger plane has been a premeditated crime, according to the news agency.

( With inputs from ANI )