Iran says U.S. warplanes harassed commercial flight over Syria

July 24 (UPI) -- Iran says a pair of U.S. warplanes harassed an Iranian airliner after it left Tehran late Thursday bound for Lebanon.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said Friday that the incident involving U.S. warplanes and Mahan Air Flight 1152 was "under investigation."

"Due political and legal measures will be taken upon completion of the information at hand," Mousavi said.

Officials said Flight 1152 was in Syrian air space in the al-Tanf region, where the United States has an airbase.

State-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting News said the warplanes' actions were "provocative and dangerous" because they forced the jetliner down to a lower altitude.

Iranian officials said several passengers were injured and at least one was knocked unconscious. Some passengers saw the warplanes flying next to the airliner, according to IRIB.

Navy Capt. Bill Urban, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, said one American F-15 was on a routine air mission and performed a standard visual inspection of the passenger airliner at a "safe distance" of about 3,280 feet.

"Once the F-15 pilot identified the aircraft as a Mahan Air passenger plane, the F-15 safely opened distance from the aircraft," Urban said in a statement. "The professional intercept was conducted in accordance with international standards."