Iranians participated in the ceremonies which were held across the country on Wednesday to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the downing of Iran Air Flight 655 by the U.S. battleship Vincennes.
 
A number of Iranian officials and other citizens also gathered near the site of the incident in the Persian Gulf to remember the victims by throwing flowers into the waters of the sea.
 
The U.S. Navy guided missile cruiser USS Vincennes shot down Iran Air Flight 655 over the Persian Gulf on July 3, 1988, killing all 290 passengers and crew members, including 66 children.
 
The U.S. government refused to apologize for the incident, claiming that the crew had mistaken the Iranian Airbus A300 for an attacking F-14 Tomcat fighter.
 
The Iranian Foreign Ministry also issued a statement on Tuesday, expressing sympathy with the families of the victims of the incident.
 
The statement said, “Undoubtedly, this inhumane crime and the awarding of medals to perpetrators of this crime will not be erased from the historical memory of the Iranian nation. And its perpetrators are condemned by humanity, and the self-proclaimed advocates of human rights should be held accountable for their silence on this malicious action.”
 

Source: tehrantimes