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Iran’s supreme leader orders probe into 'mistaken' naval strike

Iran said an investigation has been launched into the missile strike that killed 19 navy personnel during a routine exercise.
JAKARTA, INDONESIA - FEBRUARY 27: Iranian navy stand on the Kharg ship at Tanjung Priok port in Jakarta, Indonesia on February 27, 2020. The Kharg ship visit is part of 70th diplomatic relationship Islamic Republic of Iran-Republic of Indonesia. Kharg starts the journey from Abbas harbour in Iran, carries 300 Iranian navy student who will do sport activity together with the Indonesian navy during docked in Jakarta 25-28 February. (Photo by Anton Raharjo/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called on Iranian army commanders to probe a missile strike that accidentally killed 19 service members during naval drills in the country’s southeast last week. In his statement, Khamenei ordered the officials to “shed light” on the incident, identify the “possible culprits” and take necessary measures to avoid any future recurrence of such a tragedy, which he lamented as “bitter and painful.”

On May 12, fellow comrades bid farewell to the sailors during a state funeral near the port city of Chabahar. Based on the initial explanation from navy commanders, the missile was fired by mistake during one of the many routine exercises Iran holds in the Gulf of Oman, close to the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which is the maritime passageway for 20% of the world’s oil traffic.

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