Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine: Iran does not want to accept full responsibility for the shooting down of the UIA plane

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has stated that Iran is not fully accepting its international legal responsibility for the downing of Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752, according to a press release from the ministry. Despite several attempts by a coordination group since 2020 to resolve the dispute through negotiations, it wasn't until September 2023 that Iran agreed to engage in talks.

During these discussions, diplomats focused on two key issues:

• Iran's acknowledgment of its violation of international law.
• The necessity for Iran to provide full compensation for the damage resulting from the shooting down of flight PS752.

The ministry emphasized that “full remuneration” encompasses more than just financial compensation. However, Iran has continued to resist supporting the position of the countries whose citizens perished in the plane crash and has not addressed their claims satisfactorily.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that as long as Iran does not fully recognize its international legal responsibility, the Coordination Group will take further actions to resolve the dispute in accordance with international law, including potentially pursuing proceedings before the UN International Court of Justice.

Background on the shooting down of the UIA plane in Tehran:

• On January 8, 2020, Ukraine International Airlines plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Tehran airport en route to Kyiv, resulting in the tragic loss of 167 passengers and 9 crew members.
• On January 11, 2020, Iran admitted that it accidentally shot down the Boeing 737, with Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' aerospace forces, taking full responsibility for the incident.

Core issues on the table: violations and compensation

Official forensic examinations conducted in Canada over an eight-month period, released on June 24, 2021, allegedly found no evidence of intentional downing.

Almost two years after the disaster, the identities and military ranks of the military officials involved in the tragedy remain undisclosed to the public outside the Iranian investigation. Iran has rejected all requests from the Ukrainian government and victims' families to allow independent experts into the investigation.

On April 16, 2021, an Iranian court sentenced 10 Iranian soldiers in connection with the UIA plane crash, with the commander of the Tor M-1 anti-aircraft system receiving a 13-year prison sentence, and nine others receiving sentences ranging from one to three years in prison.

The International Coordinating Group for Victim Relief of Flight PS752 has expressed concerns about the fairness and transparency of the Iranian legal process related to the downing of the Ukrainian UIA flight and is committed to seeking justice.