Reacting to claims by Britain and others against Iran over the incident involving the Emirati aircraft, as well as Iran’s warnings about hostile actions, Baqaei said Iran remains fully prepared to defend itself.
“This is merely a reminder of an experience that the world has witnessed for itself over the past seven months,” he said at a press conference on Sunday.
Baqaei said the latest claims should be viewed in light of the Zionist regime’s and some European countries’ history of using false-flag operations.
Iran is being accused “solely on the basis of fabricated evidence,” he stated.
The spokesman cited Britain’s allegations concerning RAF Fairford and the Emirati aircraft as an example, saying even children could see how clumsily such anti-Iranian claims have been constructed.
Baqaei said the Israeli regime and its European supporters appear to be seeking to divert attention from the situation in Gaza as well as their own aggression against Iran, while creating the impression that Iran poses a threat to the world.
“This is a worn-out tactic,” he said.
The remarks came after a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on September 30 after its co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain and attempted to take control of the aircraft. Passengers and crew subdued the co-pilot, allowing a reserve crew to land the plane safely. Investigations into the incident remain ongoing.
US President Donald Trump has suggested, without providing evidence, that the co-pilot may have been linked to Iran, saying he was responding to what he had been hearing. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initially said it was too early to determine whether Iran was involved, while Israeli officials later said the co-pilot appeared to have been acting alone.
Media reports have identified the co-pilot as an Omani national, with reports alleging that he had previously been barred from flying in Oman over concerns about extremist views.