Downing of Russian Jet a “Strategic Mistake”: Top Iranian Adviser
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - A top military aide to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution decried Turkey’s recent move to shoot down a Russian bomber as a “strategic mistake”, stressing that Ankara will definitely pay a heavy price for it.
“Though the recent incident and shooting down of Russia’s Sukhoi 24 plane in the Syrian airspace is a tactical event, it will entail strategic consequences,” Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi said in a military gathering on Thursday.
“Turkey will definitely suffer loss in this incident,” he said, adding that besides assisting the hired terrorists and creating insecurity in Syria and Iraq for five years, Turkey has made a strategic mistake by downing the jet.
The senior military official also reminded Turkey of the “heavy price” it will have to pay after shooting down the Russian warplane.
Turkish fighter jets shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-24 bomber near the Syrian border on Tuesday.
Ankara claims the incident happened after repeated warnings over airspace violations, but Moscow said it could prove the jet had not left the Syrian airspace.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Russian TV on Wednesday that Moscow has "serious doubts" that Turkey's downing of its warplane Tuesday was "an unpremeditated act."
"It looks very much like a planned provocation," Lavrov said.
Russian officials say the bomber was attacked 1 kilometer inside Syrian territory.
