Following the crash of the Ukrainian airliner near Tehran’s airport on January 8, a viral video has surfaced online, allegedly depicting the moment the plane was hit by a missile shortly after takeoff.
Reports from Canadian, US, and UK officials suggested that intelligence indicated the plane was brought down by an Iranian missile, a claim that has been vehemently denied by Iran.
The video, which has yet to be authenticated, was reportedly submitted by internet-freedom researcher Nariman Gharib and features buildings resembling those in the Iranian capitol suburb of Parand, according to the New York Times and CNN.
View this post on InstagramVideo purportedly shows moment Ukrainian Airplane was shot down in Iran 🎥 Jake Godin
Following analysis of data from satellites, radar, and electronic sources, US and Pentagon officials have suggested that Iran mistakenly shot down the airliner.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also confirmed that UK intelligence services arrived at the same conclusion, expressing the need for a full, transparent investigation into the incident and urging de-escalation of tensions in the region.
In response, Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei dismissed the claims as psychological warfare against Iran, inviting representatives from the countries affected and Boeing to join the investigation process related to the black box.