US experts and officials: Iran accidentally shot down Ukrainian plane
Some experts say the downing of the Ukrainian plane near Tehran was caused by a missile. Ukraine is demanding an independent investigation. The Civil Aviation Authority's Accident Investigation Bureau has said it is willing to present its evidence to the media.
After the Islamic Republic of Iran attacked a base used by US forces in Iraq, a Ukrainian passenger plane bound for Ukraine crashed near Tehran, killing 176 people on board. There was initial speculation that there was a link between the Iranian missile launch and the plane crash, but US government officials are now speculating that the downed Ukrainian passenger plane may have been accidentally hit by an Iranian anti-aircraft missile, several US media outlets reported on Thursday (January 9).
Donald Trump said he was “suspicious” about the downing of the Ukrainian plane. “It’s possible that someone made a mistake,” the US president told reporters.
Trump rejected the Iranian government's claim that the plane was shot down for "technical reasons," adding, "Something very terrible has happened." "This has nothing to do with us," Trump told reporters.
Some Western intelligence sources, without revealing their names, have told news agencies that they are "certain" that the Ukrainian plane that crashed near Tehran on Wednesday morning was shot down by a missile.
Newsweek, citing two Pentagon officials, said the Ukrainian plane crash was an accident. The newspaper said Iran's missile defense system is believed to have been activated after a missile was fired overnight at a base in Iraq used by US troops.
CBS and CNN, citing statements by American officials, have said that the Ukrainian plane may have been shot down by an Iranian missile defense system.
A US official said US satellites detected two missile launches shortly before the plane crashed, which they said resulted in a large explosion.
Ali Abedzadeh, the head of Iran's Civil Aviation Organization, denied on Thursday afternoon that any missile had hit the Ukrainian plane, saying: "A missile hitting the Ukrainian plane is scientifically impossible and such rumors have no logic." He added: "There is complete coordination between all military and civilian sectors in Iran, and at the time of the crash, dozens of Iranian and foreign planes were flying over Iran's safe airspace. If a country is not secure, how is it possible that so many flights are taking place over its airspace?"
Britain's involvement
The British government, in support of the Ukrainian government's request, has called for a "full and transparent investigation" into the cause of the Ukrainian passenger plane crash.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, has expressed Britain's support for a full investigation into the causes of the plane crash.
The Islamic Republic has attributed the crash of the Ukrainian plane to technical reasons, specifically an engine fire.
On Thursday, January 9, Mohammad Eslami, Minister of Roads and Urban Development, once again told ISNA news agency: "The plane's engine caught fire due to a technical defect, which caused it to crash."
Canada: Iranian officials understand the sensitivity of the issue
The Canadian Prime Minister said: "We have information that the plane was shot down by an Iranian missile."
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that he has multiple sources of information indicating that the plane was shot down by an Iranian missile.
Trudeau also said: "A comprehensive international investigation must be conducted at the scene of the incident, and Iranian authorities have so far shown that they understand the sensitivity of this issue."
The crash of the Ukrainian Boeing 737 killed 176 people, most of whom were Iranians and 63 were Canadian citizens.
Civil Aviation Organization Accident Investigation Bureau: We are ready to announce our documents in the presence of the media
After American media reported that an Iranian missile had possibly hit a Ukrainian plane, the director general of the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization's Accident Investigation Bureau said about the claims made by American officials that a missile had hit a Ukrainian plane: "We have not found any documentation in this regard so far. We have reasons that we are willing to present to all media outlets and refute this rumor."
Hassan Rezaeifar, director general of the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization's Accident Investigation Office, told ISNA news agency: "We have also announced in the Persian and English reports published by the Civil Aviation Organization that we have not found any documents or findings to prove this issue so far, and no country anywhere in the world can determine the cause of the accident even by investigating it this soon, but foreign media want to launch an attack against Iran."
According to the Director General of the Accident Investigation Bureau of the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization, Ukrainian experts are currently present in Iran. Russia and France have also announced their readiness to provide support equipment and facilities.
Source: DW
