Iran in US jet mix-up

A major diplomatic incident was averted today after claims that a US warplane had been ordered to land for unintentionally violating Iran's airspace proved to be false.

It turned out that the aircraft was hungarian and no American citizens or military personnel were on board. The Iranian news organisations which had made the claims - which were aired around the world - were forced into an embarrassing retreat after denials from the Pentagon.

Al-Alam, Iran's official Arabic-language television station, quoted a military official who said the plane belonged to a Hungarian relief agency which had lost its way.