There appear to be some very naive comments on this thread and an assumption that in Iran there exists a fully integrated and coordinated civil military system. History tells us that even more mature and capable States around the world get it wrong.
In 1998 the USS Vincennes, a state of art guided missile cruiser with highly trained warfare specialists, shoots down an Iranian Airbus flying south out of Bandar Abbas, with the correct squawk, following an airway and in contact with ATC. 290 deaths
The shooting down of a UK GR4 by a US Patriot Missile in 2003 (Gulf War II). Edited thanks
The shooting down of MH17 over Ukraine by Separatists or others unknown - 298 deaths
Aeroflot 902 in 1962 with 80+ deaths during an air defence exercise
Siberian 1812 in 2001 during a Ukrain military exercise 78 dead
There are lots of examples of deliberate and accidental shootdowns across the decades. Some of the accidental ones will be down to poor procedures, not following safety routines, incompetence, fear, disregard for safety, ignorance, lack of identification equipment, lack of training or a whole combination of everything. Even a highly technical system can get it wrong and present to someone on high alert, a hostile target that is in fact a civilian aircraft with innocent souls onboard. I echo the comments of a previous poster in regardless of how much more fuel it will cost, shut such airspace down and do not allow aircraft to fly across conflict areas.
May they all rest in peace,
Last edited by Widger; 10th Jan 2020 at 12:00.