Ukraine seizes Iran-bound plane ‘carrying missiles
The Russian ‘Fagot’ missiles are a second-generation tube-launched wire-guided anti-tank missile system designed during the Soviet Union days.
AlArabiya.net, 22 January 2017 - Ukraine has announced that it has seized an airplane destined for Iran loaded with arms at Kiev’s Zhulyany Airport.
The plane was reported on Sunday carrying Russian-made anti-tank guided missiles.
The Russian agency Interfax confirmed that the weapons were discovered by Ukraine’s border police in Kiev’s airport following a search of 17 containers that were not registered in the flight’s cargo manifest.
A spokesman said that three containers were found to be storing the missiles – which are lightweight, infrared guided anti-tank missiles – while the remaining storage boxes contained airplane spare parts.
During an investigation, the airliner’s crew members – whose origin of either Iranian or Ukrainian has yet to be confirmed – denied knowledge of the weapons shipment.
The shipment was later confiscated by Ukrainian authorities for violating international law governing the transport of goods and weapons.
Most UN sanctions on Iran have lifted a year ago under a deal Iran made with Britain, France, Germany, China, Russia, the United States and the European Union to curb its nuclear program. But Iran is still subject to an arms embargo and other restrictions, which are not technically part of the nuclear agreement.
The plane was reported on Sunday carrying Russian-made anti-tank guided missiles.
The Russian agency Interfax confirmed that the weapons were discovered by Ukraine’s border police in Kiev’s airport following a search of 17 containers that were not registered in the flight’s cargo manifest.
A spokesman said that three containers were found to be storing the missiles – which are lightweight, infrared guided anti-tank missiles – while the remaining storage boxes contained airplane spare parts.
During an investigation, the airliner’s crew members – whose origin of either Iranian or Ukrainian has yet to be confirmed – denied knowledge of the weapons shipment.
The shipment was later confiscated by Ukrainian authorities for violating international law governing the transport of goods and weapons.
Most UN sanctions on Iran have lifted a year ago under a deal Iran made with Britain, France, Germany, China, Russia, the United States and the European Union to curb its nuclear program. But Iran is still subject to an arms embargo and other restrictions, which are not technically part of the nuclear agreement.
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