Iran has admitted unintentionally shooting down Ukrainian airliner in fear of U.S. aggression
Iran admitted that it mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet, killing all 176 people on board. Iran blamed human error and “U.S. adventurism” for the crash.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran deeply regrets this disastrous mistake. My thoughts and prayers go to all the mourning families,” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said. Offered condolences to the victims’ families, he said investigations were underway.
Iran’s military says it mistook the plane for a hostile target after launching a ballistic missile attack on two bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq.
Iran’s General Staff of the Armed Forces was quoted by Iran’s Press TV as saying that the plane had flown close to a “sensitive military site”, adding that the military mistook Flight 752 for a “hostile target”.
Following Iran’s announcement, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on Iran to continue the investigation to bring the “perpetrators” to justice. In a statement posted on his Facebook page, the Ukrainian president also said that Iran should compensate victims’ families, and requested “official apologies through diplomatic channels.”
The Iranian president said in a statement that those responsible for taking down the plane will be prosecuted.
Iran had earlier denied that a missile downed the aircraft. But the U.S. and Canada, citing intelligence, said they believe Iran shot down the aircraft.
U.S. President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, other U.S. officials and analysts had already said that the evidence suggests the plane was brought down by Iranian missile, adding that it may have been a mistake.
Iran mistakenly shot down the passenger plane after it took off from Tehran, amid heightened tensions between the U.S and Iran following the U.S. airstrike that killed Iran’s top general and Iran’s missile attacks on the U.S. bases in Iraq.
The victims include 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians, 11 Ukrainians, 10 Swedes, four Afghans, three Germans and three British nationals.
