Victims’ governments to press Tehran for answers for downing of Ukrainian jet
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Iran is facing fresh pressure to give a full accounting of what happened to the Ukrainian Airlines plane that was shot down over its capital city last week with 176 people on board.
Ministers from five countries that lost citizens in the crash are due to meet in London later to demand answers.
Five countries who had citizens on the plane – Canada, Britain, Ukraine, Sweden and Afghanistan – have formed a new group to co-ordinate their response as the Iranian-led investigation unfolds.
Their foreign ministers will light memorial candles at the Canadian High Commission in London on Thursday to honour the dead before holding discussions focusing on the need for transparency from Iran.
Canadian Transport Minister Marc Garneau said the meeting would aim to “achieve consensus” on what to demand from Iran.
Ahead of the meeting, Canada’s foreign minister said his country would “get to the very bottom” of what happened.
Iran has said the plane was brought down by a missile fired in error.
The plane, travelling to the Ukrainian capital Kiev and carrying many passengers on their way to Canada, was downed amid escalating tensions between Iran and the US. There were no survivors.
Hours before, Iranian missiles had targeted two airbases in Iraq housing US forces.
