Iran admitted that Ukrainian passenger plane was mistakenly downed

Iran acknowledged on Saturday that its military mistakenly shot down the Ukrainian plane killing all 176 people on board and added that downing was unintentional. So far, Tehran has vehemently denied that the aircraft was brought down by one of its missiles.

Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737-800 (wikimedia commons)

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on Twitter that the country’s investigation concluded that the crash of Ukraine International Boeing 737-800 was the result of a “human error in a time of crisis caused by US adventurism, which led to the disaster”.

“A sad day. Preliminary conclusions of internal investigation by Armed Forces:
Human error at time of crisis caused by US adventurism led to disaster
Our profound regrets, apologies and condolences to our people, to the families of all victims, and to other affected nations,” wrote Zarif.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Iranian army announced that a missile struck the aircraft, Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, and expressed condolences to the victims’ families. The army claimed that the plane flew very close to an important military unit belonging to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC).

According to the statement, those responsible for this tragic accident will be sent to the military justice and held accountable.

Experts say that increasing international attention to the subject made it virtually impossible for Iran to hide the missile strike and authorities in Tehran probably felt that a quick change of position was better than fighting both international criticism and anger from Iranians affected by the tragedy.

President Hassan Rouhani also said on Twitter that the Islamic Republic “deeply regrets this disastrous mistake”:

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Investigations continue to identify & prosecute this great tragedy & unforgivable mistake. #PS752″

“The Islamic Republic of Iran deeply regrets this disastrous mistake.

My thoughts and prayers go to all the mourning families. I offer my sincerest condolences,” President Hassan Rouhani said on Twitter soon after the military released its statement.

Ukraine is awaiting a full investigation, admission of guilt and damage compensation from Iran, said President Volodimir Zelenski.

So far, Tehran has claimed that the information according to which a missile struck the passenger plane is “meaningless” and represents “psychological warfare”.

All 176 people aboard the Boeing 737-800 plane operating Ukraine International Flight 752 from Tehran to Kiev were killed after the aircraft crashed minutes after takeoff.

The announcement by the Iranian authorities comes a day after the New York Times published a video showing the moment the Ukrainian passenger plane was hit by an Iranian missile right before the crash.

Photo credit: tjdarmstadt [CC BY]