The European Aviation Safety Agency warned that passenger jets flying through Iranian airspace risk being accidentally targeted by the country’s air-defense systems.
“Due to the hazardous security situation, and poor coordination between civil aviation and military operations, there is a risk of misidentification of civil aircraft,” EASA announced on Thursday. “Due to the presence of various advanced air-defense systems, it is advised to be cautious.”
The EASA alert comes days after Iran said it mistakenly shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 shortly after take-off in January, killing all 176 aboard.
An Iranian air-defense unit that “forgot” to adjust its radar system triggered a chain of communication and human errors that led to the deadly downing of the plane, according to a report from Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization.