Some "Administrative Errors" More Severe Than Others

The Associated Press confirms the plane forced down two weeks ago by Iranian jets was a Hungarian civilian business jet, carrying officials from a military delegation... and was not a US aircraft, as Iran had claimed earlier.

The chartered Hawker 800 reportedly strayed into Iranian airspace September 30, due to what officials later termed an "administrative error." The passengers onboard were part of a Hungarian team that took over administrative control of Kabul International Airport in Afghanistan earlier this month.

"After clearing up the problem, the airplane was able to continue its journey to Afghanistan," the Hungarian defense ministry said in a statement released in Budapest.

The aircraft was chartered from JAS Cargoways, a Hungarian charter operator.

Iranian media initially reported the aircraft was an American aircraft flying five military officials and three civilians from Turkey to Afghanistan... statements US military officials quickly downplayed, as ANN reported Tuesday.

Given the Islamic state's openly hostile relationship with the United States and much of the western world, one can safely assume Iran's initial stance may have been wishful thinking, more than anything else... though we imagine it, too, could be chalked up to an "administrative error" at Iran's semi-official Fars news agency.

FMI: www.jashungary.com