An Iranian passenger plane flying over Syria went into a nose-dive after nearly colliding with two US fighter jets, Iran's state news agency claimed today. Israel and the United States have long accused blacklisted airliner Mahan Air of ferrying weapons for Iranian-linked guerrillas in Syria and elsewhere. In 2016, besides Germany and Denmark, Mahan Air started service to Milan and Athens; and to Barcelona the following year. France imposed the same ban in March 2019, and Mahan Air was forced to cancel its four-weekly service to Paris. In April Mr Pompeo claimed 'multiple aircraft' belonging to Mahan Air had transferred 'unknown support' to the Venezuelan government, and called for a halt to the flights and for other countries to bar overflights by Mahan Air.

Source: Daily Mail July 23, 2020 21:45 UTC