Following Iran’s admission of accidentally shooting down a Ukrainian airliner, Ukraine has demanded that Iran take action against those responsible and provide compensation to the victims’ families.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took to Facebook, stating, “We expect Iran to bring the guilty to the courts,” while also calling for compensation payment and the repatriation of the victims’ remains.
Zelensky was scheduled to discuss the incident with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at 5pm local time, as reported by his press office.
This development came after Iran admitted on Saturday that it mistakenly shot down the Ukraine International Airlines plane, resulting in the deaths of all 176 individuals on board. The incident occurred shortly after Iran launched missiles at bases hosting US forces in Iraq.
According to Iran, a missile operator mistook the Boeing 737 for a cruise missile during a period of heightened threats, leading to the tragic mistake.
The passengers on UIA Flight PS752 from Tehran to Kiev were primarily Iranian-Canadian dual nationals, and also included individuals from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Britain, and Sweden.
Rouhani expressed deep regret over the grave error and extended invitations to the United States, Ukraine, Canada, and others to participate in the crash investigation.
Ukrainian authorities confirmed that Tehran has provided comprehensive data, including photos, videos, and other materials, to ensure an objective and expeditious investigation. They declared that the political aspect of the work has concluded.
UIA vice president Igor Sosnovsky, speaking at a news conference in Kiev, criticized Tehran for not closing the airport amidst regional tensions following the US assassination of a top Iranian general, labeling it as “absolutely irresponsible.”
He added, “They were obliged to close the airport. Obliged! Then shoot as much as you like.”
In a separate reaction on Facebook, pro-western Ukraine MP Volodymyr Ariev commended Iran, stating, “Iran has shown itself to be more civilized than Russia,” and contrasted Iran’s relatively swift acknowledgment of responsibility with Russia’s handling of similar instances.