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Iran says its military "unintentionally" shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet (176 dead) [Post #83]

We were told that it was impossible that Iran shot down this plane and we should wait for the investigation to finish. Can't trust anything that Iran says anymore. They have been constantly lying, be it killing 80 American soldiers or claiming it to be scientifically impossible for the missle to hit the plane. They only reason they finally admitted was due to the unshakable evidence shared with them by the western intelligence.

Innocent lives were lost in this tragedy and I hope Canada pushes for more sanctions on Iran.
 
It really does not matter whether Iran has nuclear weapons or not. They have long range ballistic and anti aircraft missiles and enough to cause huge damage in other countries.
Get real this talk of nuclear weaponry is ********, u say like as if nuclear weapons are used now and then. In a war it’s these weapons that are going to be first used. Only 1 nuclear weapon is ever used until now for gods sake!
 
Iran says its military "unintentionally" shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet, killing all 176 people on board, Iran's state TV reports.

The statement said it had done so due to "human error" after the plane flew close to a sensitive site belonging to Iran's Revolutionary Guards.

Mistaken for a "hostile target", the jet was hit by a missile, the statement said.

Those responsible would be held accountable, it added.

Iran had previously rejected suggestions that one of its missiles brought down the plane near the capital, Tehran, on Wednesday.

But pressure mounted after the US and Canada, citing intelligence, said they believed Iran had shot down the plane with a missile, possibly accidently.

In a tweet, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said the "horrific crash" of the aircraft was an "unforgivable mistake".

The downing of Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 with the loss of 176 lives came just hours after Iran carried out missile strikes on two airbases housing US forces in Iraq.

The Ukrainian flight, en route to Kyiv, came down near Imam Khomeini Airport shortly after take-off.

US media had speculated that the Ukrainian airliner may have been mistaken for a warplane as Iran prepared for possible US retaliation.

The Iranian air strikes were launched in retaliation to the killing of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in a US drone attack on 3 January.

In a tweet on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif suggested "US adventurism" was partly to blame for the downing of the Ukrainian jet.

Victims of the disaster included 82 Iranians, 57 Canadians and 11 Ukrainians as well as nationals from Sweden, the UK, Afghanistan and Germany.

What does Iran's statement say?
On Saturday morning, an Iranian military statement read on state TV announced that it had struck flight PS752 with a missile by mistake.

The plane, the statement said, had flown near a "sensitive military centre" of the Revolutionary Guards, a force set up to defend the country's Islamic system.

Because of heightened tensions with the US, Iran's military "was at its highest level of readiness", the statement said. "In such a condition, because of human error and in an unintentional way, the flight was hit," it added.

In the statement, the military apologised for downing the plane, saying it would upgrade its systems to prevent such "mistakes" in the future.

Those responsible for firing the missile, it said, would be prosecuted.

What happened before Iran's announcement?
The announcement by Iran's military marks a stark departure from the denials of recent days. As recently as Friday, Iran was insistent that the plane had not been shot down.

"The thing that is clear to us and that we can say with certainty is that this plane was not hit by a missile," Iran's Civil Aviation Organisation (CAOI) chief Ali Abedzadeh said.

On Thursday, government spokesman Ali Rabiei accused the US and its allies of "lying and engaging in psychological warfare" in their speculation over the cause of the accident.

But as evidence pointing to a missile strike built, calls for a transparent investigation grew louder.

Video obtained by the New York Times appeared to show a missile streaking across the night sky over Tehran and then exploding on contact with a plane. About 10 seconds later a loud explosion is heard on the ground. The plane, ablaze, continues to fly.

On Thursday, TV images from the crash site showed a mechanical digger helping to clear debris away, raising concerns that important evidence could have been removed.

In response, Iran promised a full investigation, inviting air accident agencies from Ukraine, Canada and the US to take part.

On Friday, Canada's Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne warned Iran that "the world is watching", telling it that the families of those on board "want the truth".

His warning came a day after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he had received intelligence from multiple sources indicating that the plane was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile.

A missile strike on a passenger plane is not unprecedented. In July 2014, a Russian-made missile hit a Malaysian civilian airliner over Ukraine, killing 298 people on flight MH17.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51073621#
 
Iran :facepalm:

This is simply unforgivable.

Over 100 Iranians died in this crash so there goes the local support as well.
 
The Iran apologists in this thread have been humiliated.

Iran does not deserve anyone’s support anymore. More power to the U.S.
 
There was already newz out where US and Canada said Iran could have by a mistake shot down the plane. At that time Iran was too busy with cheast-pumping that they ignored this serious matter.

And I used to like Press TV but that channel has messed up it’s reputation by first claiming the Iranian missiles killed 80 of US troops and then keep denying the plane could have been shot down.

What an end to innocent people, the only «Relief» is that people would now stop speculating on what really happend to the jet.
 
Kiev/Ottawa: President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday demanded that Iran punish those responsible for the downing of a Ukrainian airliner and pay compensation.

"We expect Iran... to bring the guilty to the courts," the Ukrainian leader wrote on Facebook, calling also for the "payment of compensation" after Tehran admitted accidentally downing the plane and killing all 176 people on board.

"We hope the inquiry will be pursued without deliberate delay and without obstruction," Zelensky added. He urged "total access" to the full inquiry for 45 Ukrainian experts, and in a tweet also sought an "official apology".

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also reacted to Iran's revelation and said that closure and accountability were needed after Iran admitted that it shot down a Ukranian plane.

He also demanded "transparency, and justice for the families and loved ones of the victims," of whom many were Canadian dual nationals. "This is a national tragedy, and all Canadians are mourning together," Trudeau's office said in a statement.

Iranian state TV, citing a military statement, earlier on Saturday said the country 'unintentionally' shot down a Ukrainian jetliner, killing all 176 aboard. The statement blamed "human error" for the shootdown.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran deeply regrets this disastrous mistake," Iranian President Hassan Rouhani tweeted. "Armed Forces' internal investigation has concluded that regrettably missiles fired due to human error caused the horrific crash of the Ukrainian plane & death of 176 innocent people," he added.

"Investigations continue to identify & prosecute this great tragedy & unforgivable mistake."

The admission came a day after Iran's civil aviation chief denied claims that the plane had been shot down, as international pressure mounted on Tehran to conduct a credible investigation after several Western governments blamed a missile strike.

The disaster came as tensions soared in the region after the Soleimani killing, and fears grew of an all-out war between the United States and Iran.

https://www.news18.com/news/world/p...ng-admission-on-iran-plane-crash-2454385.html
 
Mamoon said:
The Iran apologists in this thread have been humiliated.

Iran does not deserve anyone’s support anymore. More power to the U.S.
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Shouldnt the US also be blamed for creating panic in the Iranian ranks by murdering its army general in the first place?
 
This will be a good time to remind people that the US did the same thing with Iran Air Flight 655 in 1988 and didn’t apologize for it.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Note the contrast between Iran’s transparency around the titanic screw up of downing Ukraine Airlines 752 & VP George HW Bush’s reaction when the USS Vincennes took down Iran Air 655 in 1988, killing 290:<br><br>“I will never apologize for the United States!”<br><br> <a href="https://t.co/9jE1W4s5Db">pic.twitter.com/9jE1W4s5Db</a></p>— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaxBlumenthal/status/1215872410534207489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
It was clearly visible that Iran had shot down the plane with a missile.


What is more shameless on their behalf is the fact that they denied their crime at the start, only to admit it later and hide behind the word "mistake".

After this, I hope the world's biggest powers all come together and blast these idiots with severe sanctions. Iran should be severely punished for this.
 
Its good of iran to come clean on this better late than never but its a catastrophic mistake showing huge incompetence

Surely their airspace shouldve been closed down if they were on high alert?

A really sad sad affair Thoughts go out to the family who have to live with this fact that their loves ones death should never have occurred and they died due to huge misadventure by the authorities
 
People dying in the funeral stampede and passengers getting killed is greater tragedy, but Iranian history will consider the assassination of her general the greater loss.
 
gazza619 said:
Shouldnt the US also be blamed for creating panic in the Iranian ranks by murdering its army general in the first place?
Click to expand...

A competent state does not panic. Iran have no one to blame for their sheer incompetence. They are clearly not trained enough to possess high-grade weapons and nuclear arsenal.

They are a threat to everyone in the religion.
 
AdamM97 said:
This will be a good time to remind people that the US did the same thing with Iran Air Flight 655 in 1988 and didn’t apologize for it.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Note the contrast between Iran’s transparency around the titanic screw up of downing Ukraine Airlines 752 & VP George HW Bush’s reaction when the USS Vincennes took down Iran Air 655 in 1988, killing 290:<br><br>“I will never apologize for the United States!”<br><br> <a href="https://t.co/9jE1W4s5Db">pic.twitter.com/9jE1W4s5Db</a></p>— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaxBlumenthal/status/1215872410534207489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Well said. Iran have made a catastrophic and grave mistake, and instead of waiting for an investigation to conclude have decided to come clean which is the right thing to do as they'd have been exposed eventually.

They must punish whoever was responsible for this heinous act. This is already more than what the US did after the Vincennes brought down Iran Air 655 in 1988. The US has decades of civilian deaths on its hands chalked up to "collateral damage" yet we never hear even a squeak of an apology or calls for sanctions against it.

This tragedy would've avoided had this whole crisis not been started by a power crazed manchild wanting to prove how tough and unlike Barack Obama he is, who murdered a foreign general on the soil of an ally.
 
Mamoon said:
A competent state does not panic. Iran have no one to blame for their sheer incompetence. They are clearly not trained enough to possess high-grade weapons and nuclear arsenal.

They are a threat to everyone in the religion.
Click to expand...
Using that logic, America is not responsible to hold even a single nuclear missile given how many civilians have died from American led wars since WW2 that have been chalked up to incompetence or collateral damage.

This country committed the very same act that Iran has admitted to and apologised for in 1988 when the Vincennes brought down Iran Air 655 and killed nearly 300 civilians. George HW Bush said he would never apologise for America regardless of the facts, and the captain of the Vincennes was even decorated later with the Legion of Merit.

Apologists of US actions have no moral leg to stand on.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Our team has been busy reconstructing the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PS752?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PS752</a> incident, so I didn't manage to post this earlier: three synchronized videos showing the Ukrainian airliner on fire and then crashing. Geolocations below. <a href="https://t.co/Ry9zXg7fxo">pic.twitter.com/Ry9zXg7fxo</a></p>— Christiaan Triebert (@trbrtc) <a href="https://twitter.com/trbrtc/status/1215789179977768960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Moments before takeoff on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FlightPS752?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FlightPS752</a>: Sahar Haghjoo and her daughter Elsa Jadidi in their seats ready to fly home to Toronto. <a href="https://twitter.com/globalnewsto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@globalnewsto</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UkrainianPlaneCrash?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UkrainianPlaneCrash</a> <a href="https://t.co/5InrvWhJzr">pic.twitter.com/5InrvWhJzr</a></p>— Caryn Lieberman (@caryn_lieberman) <a href="https://twitter.com/caryn_lieberman/status/1215390058544615424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Contrast this with the measures Pakistan took when India sent a passenger plane disguised as IAF but instead of shooting it down PAF first escorted couple of Vipers to visually confirm whether it is hostile or not.

Difference in professionalism is for all to see. I was in Irani camp when Suliemeni was killed but this act of utter stupidity should not go unpunished.
 
AdamM97 said:
This will be a good time to remind people that the US did the same thing with Iran Air Flight 655 in 1988 and didn’t apologize for it.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Note the contrast between Iran’s transparency around the titanic screw up of downing Ukraine Airlines 752 & VP George HW Bush’s reaction when the USS Vincennes took down Iran Air 655 in 1988, killing 290:<br><br>“I will never apologize for the United States!”<br><br> <a href="https://t.co/9jE1W4s5Db">pic.twitter.com/9jE1W4s5Db</a></p>— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaxBlumenthal/status/1215872410534207489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Click to expand...

Amazing lesson in history for all of us - and especially who are happy to malign fellow Muslims and wear that as a badge of honour.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">IRGC Aerospace Cmdr: I wish I was dead and such an incident hadn't happened. We in IRGC accept all the responsibility, and are ready to implement any decision made by the Establishment<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IranPlaneCrash?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IranPlaneCrash</a> <a href="https://t.co/YmvgvgCvyp">https://t.co/YmvgvgCvyp</a></p>— Reza Khaasteh (@Khaaasteh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Khaaasteh/status/1215936380129497088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

More tweets in spoiler.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">IRGC Aerospace Cmdr: I was in the country's west following attacks on US base in Iraq when I heard the news. We sacrificed our lives for our people for a lifetime, and now we're trading our reputation with God (disgracing ourselves) and appear in front of the camera to explain.</p>— Reza Khaasteh (@Khaaasteh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Khaaasteh/status/1215937853932408832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">IRGC Aerospace Cmdr says we had requested the establishment of a no-fly zone given the war situation. But it was not approved for certain considerations</p>— Reza Khaasteh (@Khaaasteh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Khaaasteh/status/1215939549358104576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Revision: IRGC Aerospace Cmdr says Air Defence operator sent a message to his commanders; but after he didn't receive any response for 10 seconds, he decided to shoot it down</p>— Reza Khaasteh (@Khaaasteh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Khaaasteh/status/1215941674200977409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Video of IRGC Aerospace Cmdr. showing the place on map where the Ukrainian plane was shot down by the air defence<a href="https://twitter.com/bellingcat?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bellingcat</a> <a href="https://t.co/GHtkAPvVtc">pic.twitter.com/GHtkAPvVtc</a></p>— Reza Khaasteh (@Khaaasteh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Khaaasteh/status/1215942159737683968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">IRGC Aerospace Cmdr: I informed Iranian officials on Wednesday morning, and said we speculate our own passenger plane has been shot down. But the General Staff of Armed Forces quarantined all those who knew about it, and decided to declare it later</p>— Reza Khaasteh (@Khaaasteh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Khaaasteh/status/1215943540167057410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">IRGC Aerospace Cmdr.: The officials, including Aviation authorities, who kept denying the missile hit, are not guilty. They made those remarks based on what they knew. We are to blame for everything.</p>— Reza Khaasteh (@Khaaasteh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Khaaasteh/status/1215943919491526658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">IRGC Aerospace Cmdr.: We were at that time ready for an all-out war with US. We had reports of cruise missiles fired at Iran. It was an individual's error that caused this tragedy</p>— Reza Khaasteh (@Khaaasteh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Khaaasteh/status/1215944459826925570?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The IRGC commander repeated for several times that the Aviation Organization was not to blame. All the blame must be pinned on Armed Forces & and those who failed to control the situation (no-fly zone perhaps).<br>Key point in his remarks was reports of cruise missile fired at Iran</p>— Reza Khaasteh (@Khaaasteh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Khaaasteh/status/1215945675436961792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
I dont understand why the aviation authorities just ban the airspace over countries like Ukraine and Iran when you know trouble is brewing. All to save costs by flying the shortest route possible.
 
How the hell did they mistake a plane that took off from deep inside Iran as hostile?
 
Syed1 said:
Contrast this with the measures Pakistan took when India sent a passenger plane disguised as IAF but instead of shooting it down PAF first escorted couple of Vipers to visually confirm whether it is hostile or not.

Difference in professionalism is for all to see. I was in Irani camp when Suliemeni was killed but this act of utter stupidity should not go unpunished.
Click to expand...

good point! paf deserve a lot of credit for how they handled india last year.
 
[MENTION=142451]Mian[/MENTION]
Isn't this enough of a shut up call to army haters.
A competent army safeguards the country but it also take measures to minimize/avoid collateral damages like this.
 
Iranian regime apologists will find someone else to blame for this but hopefully these incidents have open people's eyes to the lying, manipulating, boastful regime that talks a big game but when push comes to shove they either sit back and do nothing or in this case get exposed as incompetent.
 
Clearly their next in line is not smart, anycase unfortunate deaths , not sure what’s the road ahead now.
 
Iran's admission it "unintentionally" shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet has sparked demands for justice for the 176 people on board who were killed.

The calls were led by Ukraine's president and the prime minister of Canada, which lost 57 nationals.

UK PM Boris Johnson said Iran's admission was an "important first step" and called for an independent inquiry.

The plane was shot down on Wednesday, hours after Iran had struck two air bases housing US forces in Iraq.

Those missile strikes were Iran's response to the US killing of senior Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani. He died in a drone strike in Baghdad on 3 January.

Iran had initially denied reports its missiles had brought down the plane, with one spokesman accusing Western nations of "lying and engaging in psychological warfare".

Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752, en route to Kyiv, came down near Imam Khomeini Airport in Tehran shortly after take-off. Victims included dozens of Iranians and Canadians, as well as nationals from Ukraine, the UK, Afghanistan and Germany.

What has the reaction been to Iran's admission?
Writing on Facebook, Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky demanded that Iran "bring the guilty to the courts", repatriate the remains of the victims, pay compensation, give total access to Ukrainian officials and issue an apology through diplomatic channels.

He was due to talk to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday afternoon.

Mr Zelensky spoke earlier with French President Emmanuel Macron and agreed French specialists would help decode the so-called "black box" flight recorders. Mr Macron also said he would formally launch an international investigation.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau demanded "transparency and justice for the families and loved ones of the victims".

Mr Johnson said that de-escalation was now essential.

"It is vital that all leaders now pursue a diplomatic way forward," he said.

A number of European nations made similar pleas for de-escalation, a transparent inquiry and the learning of lessons. The US has not officially commented yet.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51077788
 
AdamM97 said:
This will be a good time to remind people that the US did the same thing with Iran Air Flight 655 in 1988 and didn’t apologize for it.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Note the contrast between Iran’s transparency around the titanic screw up of downing Ukraine Airlines 752 & VP George HW Bush’s reaction when the USS Vincennes took down Iran Air 655 in 1988, killing 290:<br><br>“I will never apologize for the United States!”<br><br> <a href="https://t.co/9jE1W4s5Db">pic.twitter.com/9jE1W4s5Db</a></p>— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaxBlumenthal/status/1215872410534207489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Click to expand...

Not only did they not apologise, they gave medals to the culprits.
 
Technics 1210 said:
I dont understand why the aviation authorities just ban the airspace over countries like Ukraine and Iran when you know trouble is brewing. All to save costs by flying the shortest route possible.
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Iran did ban all aircraft from taking off, landing or entering the airspace. In fear they mistook the plane for some American jet/plane.

Mistakes happen in times of war but Iran should have owned up immediately. Iran should apologise, pay compensation.

This doesn't not take away Iran showing courage to hit American bases. Yanks will be more cautious going forward.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Almost the same happened to India last year.<br><br>Lost 40 troops in Pulwama.<br>Failed to inflict casualties in Balakot.<br>Bases targetted & warned, PAF released video.<br>Accidently shot down own Mi-17, lost 6 more.<br>Lost at least one confirmed Jet & got the pilot captured.<br>Declared victory. <a href="https://t.co/7kLzURxx1h">https://t.co/7kLzURxx1h</a></p>— Asfandyar Bhittani (@BhittaniKhannnn) <a href="https://twitter.com/BhittaniKhannnn/status/1215896619775922181?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
last_knight said:
[MENTION=142451]Mian[/MENTION]
Isn't this enough of a shut up call to army haters.
A competent army safeguards the country but it also take measures to minimize/avoid collateral damages like this.
Click to expand...

That's the reason of their hate for PA but IA Pakistan PA will remain strong!
 
A truly dreadful howler from Iran. I am glad that they have owned up to it quickly. The bereaved families should all receive an official written state apology and considerable compensation packages from the Iranian government.
 
Gotta give credit to Iran for apologizing repeatedly at all levels (President, FM, air force chief) because Bush Sr never apologized for Iran Air 655 and said he didn't care about the facts, that said America did open up its wallets and tried to make up for it through reparations, In America financial reparations are an indirect way of apologizing. Goof up? Pay people off in a settlement. Iran should do the same.

To be honest an apology is kinda hollow, like it won't bring back the dead and losing a loved one is a life changing event, the only thing that can kinda make up for it is life changing money.
 
Pakistanian said:
Gotta give credit to Iran for apologizing repeatedly at all levels (President, FM, air force chief) because Bush Sr never apologized for Iran Air 655 and said he didn't care about the facts, that said America did open up its wallets and tried to make up for it through reparations, In America financial reparations are an indirect way of apologizing. Goof up? Pay people off in a settlement. Iran should do the same.

To be honest an apology is kinda hollow, like it won't bring back the dead and losing a loved one is a life changing event, the only thing that can kinda make up for it is life changing money.
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I get what you are saying but all those western nationals that died had Iranian names. So were most likely dual nationals, who were visiting their Homeland. Therefore its really a bigger loss for Iran than anyone else.
Trudeau is getting a bit too hyper. Why did he not show all this compassion where other innocent people were dying as a result of middle eastern wars.
 
Knight_Rider said:
I get what you are saying but all those western nationals that died had Iranian names. So were most likely dual nationals, who were visiting their Homeland. Therefore its really a bigger loss for Iran than anyone else.
Trudeau is getting a bit too hyper. Why did he not show all this compassion where other innocent people were dying as a result of middle eastern wars.
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Not a fan of Trudeau but he has shown a lot of compassion with accepting Syrian and Iraqi refugees. Canada gave out over $4 billion in aid last year and most of it was to middle eastern countries.
 
There is something not quite right with Trudeau. He seems like a fake individual only interested in what he can get out for himself (I could be totally wrong but that’s the perception I have of him).
 
Syed1 said:
Contrast this with the measures Pakistan took when India sent a passenger plane disguised as IAF but instead of shooting it down PAF first escorted couple of Vipers to visually confirm whether it is hostile or not.

Difference in professionalism is for all to see. I was in Irani camp when Suliemeni was killed but this act of utter stupidity should not go unpunished.
Click to expand...

Well put and it shows that despite all the ills of our some of the corrupt generals in the past, PA is one of the world's premier professional armies.
 
I was supporting Iran after the killing of the general but this missile attack on the plane was unprofessional and stupid.

If Iran can't identify a passenger jet, how can they expect to win a conventional war against USA?

This incident shows that Iran is not as organized as some of us may have thought.
 
So they shot down a commercial jet not near the border but in the middle of the country? That is about as incompetent as it gets.
 
Hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets in Iran's capital, Tehran, to vent anger at officials, calling them liars for having denied shooting down a Ukrainian passenger plane.

Protests took place outside at least two universities, with tear gas reportedly fired.

US President Donald Trump tweeted support for the "inspiring" protests.

Iran on Saturday admitted downing the jet "unintentionally", three days after the crash that killed 176 people.

Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752, en route to Kyiv, was shot down on Wednesday near Imam Khomeini Airport in Tehran shortly after take-off, and only hours after Iran had fired missiles at two air bases housing US forces in Iraq.

Those attacks were Iran's response to the US killing of senior Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike in Baghdad on 3 January.

Dozens of Iranians and Canadians, as well as nationals from Ukraine, the UK, Afghanistan and Germany died on the plane.

What happened at the protests?
Students gathered outside at least two universities, Sharif and Amir Kabir, reports said, initially to pay respect to the victims. Protests turned angry in the evening.

The semi-official Fars news agency carried a rare report of the unrest, saying up to 1,000 people had chanted slogans against leaders and tore up pictures of Soleimani.

The students called for those responsible for the downing the plane, and those they said had covered up the action, to be prosecuted.

Chants included "commander-in-chief resign", referring to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and "death to liars".

Fars said police had "dispersed" the protesters, who were blocking roads. Social media footage appeared to show tear gas being fired.

Social media users also vented anger at the government's actions.

One wrote on Twitter: "I will never forgive the authorities in my country, the people who were on the scene and lying."

The protests were, however, far smaller than the mass demonstrations across Iran in support of Soleimani after he was killed.

What has been the reaction?
President Trump tweeted in both English and Farsi, saying: "To the brave and suffering Iranian people: I have stood with you since the beginning of my presidency and my government will continue to stand with you.

"We are following your protests closely. Your courage is inspiring."

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted video of the protests in Iran, saying: "The voice of the Iranian people is clear. They are fed up with the regime's lies, corruption, ineptitude, and brutality of the IRGC [Revolutionary Guards] under Khamenei's kleptocracy. We stand with the Iranian people who deserve a better future."

The UK's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab issued an angry statement after British ambassador Rob Macaire was arrested "without grounds or explanation" in a "flagrant violation of international law" at one of the protests in Tehran.

Mr Macaire was detained at the demonstration outside Amir Kabir and was later released.

Mr Raab said Iran could "continue its march towards pariah status... or take steps to de-escalate tensions and engage in a diplomatic path forwards".

How did the Iranian admission unfold?
For three days, Iran had denied reports its missiles had brought down the plane, with one spokesman accusing Western nations of "lying and engaging in psychological warfare".

But on Saturday morning, a statement read on state TV accepted the plane had been shot down.

Brig-Gen Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the Revolutionary Guards' aerospace commander, explained what happened.

He said a missile operator had acted independently and alone, mistaking the plane for a "cruise missile" as there had been reports that such missiles had been fired at Iran.

"He had 10 seconds to decide. He could have decided to strike or not to strike and under such circumstances he took the wrong decision," Gen Hajizadeh said.

"He was obliged to make contact and get verification. But apparently, his communications system had some disruptions."

Gen Hajizadeh said the military would upgrade its systems to prevent such "mistakes" in the future.

He said he had "wished he was dead" after being told of the missile strike.

Gen Hajizadeh said he had informed the authorities about what had happened on Wednesday, raising questions about why Iran had denied involvement for so long.

Ayatollah Khamenei said there was "proof of human error", while President Hassan Rouhani said Iran "deeply regrets this disastrous mistake".

Foreign Minister Javad Zarif laid part of the blame on the US. "Human error at a time of crisis caused by US adventurism led to [this] disaster," he said.

How have Canada and Ukraine reacted?
Both Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with Mr Rouhani on Saturday.

Mr Trudeau said he was "outraged and furious" and had told Mr Rouhani that there must be a full investigation with "full clarity on how such a horrific tragedy could have occurred".

Mr Trudeau said: "Canada will not rest until we get the accountability, justice and closure the families deserve... they are hurt, angry and grieving and they want answers."

Mr Zelensky, who has demanded compensation and an apology, said Mr Rouhani had assured him that "all persons involved in this air disaster will be brought to justice".

In the Canadian city of Edmonton, Pegah Salari is helping to organise a memorial service for the victims from the city on Sunday.

She says the latest admission by Iran means "now it's more than grief", first felt in the Iranian-Canadian community there.

"It's anger, frustration," she said.

Many on the plane were living there, including 10 people - faculty members, students, and alumni - from the University of Alberta.

Ms Salari is openly critical and distrustful of the Iranian government and is watching news of the protests in Iran with both trepidation and hope.

There are some in the Iranian diaspora in Canada who support the government in Tehran, which can cause tension, she said.

For the moment, that has been set aside, Ms Salari says.

"It's not a political matter, it has nothing to do with economics. This for the first time is a human tragedy and all those lost lives has brought people closer and opened some eyes."

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51079965
 
Last edited:
The UK ambassador to Iran was arrested during anti-government protests in Tehran after officials admitted shooting down a passenger plane.

Rob Macaire was held for three hours, in what the UK described as a "flagrant violation of international law".

It is understood he was attending a vigil for those who died in the crash, which turned into a protest.

He left to make his way back to the UK embassy, but was arrested as he stopped at a barber shop for a haircut.

In a statement, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: "The arrest of our Ambassador in Tehran without grounds or explanation is a flagrant violation of international law.

"The Iranian government is at a cross-roads moment. It can continue its march towards pariah status with all the political and economic isolation that entails, or take steps to deescalate tensions and engage in a diplomatic path forwards."

The Iranian Etemad newspaper shared a picture of the ambassador on Twitter after the Tasnim news agency reported his arrest.

Iranian media claimed Mr Macaire was accused of inciting anti-government protests.

Iran has said Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 was shot down due to "human error" and there were demonstrations in Tehran and other cities on Saturday as people gathered to commemorate those who died.

Earlier, the UK prime minister said Iran's admission was an "important first step" and called for an investigation into the "tragic accident".

Missile strikes
Iran initially denied responsibility for Wednesday's crash - which killed 176 people, including four Britons.

But on Saturday, President Hassan Rouhani admitted Iranian military had "unintentionally" shot down the passenger plane after mistaking it for a cruise missile when it turned towards a sensitive military site.

President Rouhani said the missile strike was an "unforgivable mistake".

The crash came just hours after Iran carried out missile strikes on two airbases housing US forces in Iraq.

Iran admits 'unintentionally' shooting down plane
What we know about the Iran plane crash
Mr Johnson said: "This will be an incredibly difficult time for all those families who lost loved ones in such tragic circumstances.

"We will do everything we can to support the families of the four British victims and ensure they get the answers and closure they deserve."

He said the investigation into the crash should be "comprehensive, transparent and independent", adding that he would work with other affected nations, including Canada and Ukraine.

The prime minister said it was "vital that all leaders now pursue a diplomatic way forward" in the conflict in the region.

"This tragic accident only reinforces the importance of de-escalating tensions in the region. We can all see very clearly that further conflict will only lead to more loss and tragedy," he said.

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Raab said the missile strike on the Ukrainian plane marked "a moment where the regime in Tehran is at a crossroads".

"It is time for them to come to the negotiating table to resolve all of Iran's issues of international concern," he said.

Mr Raab said Iran "must stop pursuing a nuclear weapon, end its support for terrorism, and release the foreign nationals and dual nationals it cruelly holds".

The attack on the airliner came amid heightened tensions in the region following the killing of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani on 3 January.

Tehran vowed revenge after he died in a drone strike ordered by US President Donald Trump.


Media captionFootage appears to show missile strike on Ukrainian plane in Iran
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the shooting down of the passenger plane by Iran was "an appalling act, and part of a whole pattern of appalling acts all across the region".

"There's no excuse for shooting down an airliner, there's no excuse for a targeted assassination by one state against another," he said at an anti-war protest in central London on Saturday.

"All this does is set off a spiral of violence and danger which will lead us to yet more wars in the future."

'Devastating loss'
The Queen has also sent a message of condolence to the Governor-General of Canada - where the majority of the passengers on the flight were headed.

Out of the 176 victims on board the Kyiv-bound flight, 138 had listed Canada as their eventual destination.

The Queen said she and the Duke of Edinburgh were "deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life".

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Canada, which has suffered such a devastating loss," she added.

"I extend my deepest condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of all those Canadians, and indeed other nationalities, who died, and to the many others who have been affected by this terrible event."

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall added their condolences, saying they were "utterly horrified" by the disaster.

"However hopelessly inadequate it may be, we particularly wanted you to know just how much our hearts go out to all those whose grief must be unbearable," they wrote to the Governor-General of Canada.

The UK government says that four Britons were on board the Ukrainian passenger plane.

Three have been named as Mohammed Reza Kadkhoda Zadeh, who owned a dry cleaners in West Sussex, BP engineer Sam Zokaei from Twickenham, and PhD student and engineer Saeed Tahmasebi, who lived in Dartford.

Mr Tahmasebi's Iranian wife, Niloufar Ebrahim, was also listed as a passenger on the plane.

Iran's ambassador to the UK, Hamid Baeidinejad, apologised for sharing "wrong findings" about the crash, having previously said he was "confident" that a missile had not been launched.

He expressed "regret" for giving a false statement to the media based on the official findings at the time.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51077897
 
ahsan17 said:
So they shot down a commercial jet not near the border but in the middle of the country? That is about as incompetent as it gets.
Click to expand...

Apparently.
I call it a century of disinformation. So Iran still needs to investigate this, particularly chain of command. Even if it were an Under cover agent in the chain of command, it still exposes incompetence of army.
 
Iran's leaders are facing growing calls to dismiss senior officials after a Ukrainian passenger plane was shot down killing all 176 people on board.

Thousands of protesters demanded accountability on Saturday after the military said it had mistakenly downed the jet, having earlier denied it.

Riot police have been deployed and there are reports that protesters have gathered for a second day of action.

The plane was shot down amid rising tensions with the US.

It happened shortly after Iran launched missiles at two airbases housing US forces in Iraq. Those strikes were a response to the US killing of senior Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike in Baghdad on 3 January.

Dozens of Iranians and Canadians, as well as nationals from Ukraine, the UK, Afghanistan and Sweden died on the plane.

It was en route to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, but came down near Imam Khomeini Airport in Tehran shortly after take-off.

What's the latest?
Riot police have been mobilised on the streets of Tehran in an effort to deter more demonstrations.

Despite this, videos circulating online appear to show demonstrators gathering for renewed protests on Sunday morning. In some of the clips, protesters can be heard chanting anti-government slogans.

Demonstrators have gathered in other cities as well as in the capital, reports say.

A number of Iranian newspapers have covered the vigils for the victims of the disaster alongside headlines such as "Shame" and "Unforgivable".

But there has also been praise for what one pro-government newspaper called Iran's "honest" admission of error.

Those who decide to continue demonstrating will be mindful of the violence with which the security forces have dealt with protest movements in the past. the BBC's Arab Affairs Editor Sebastian Usher says.

On Saturday, students gathered outside two universities. They initially did so to pay respect to the victims, but angry protests erupted later in the evening.

The students called for those responsible for the downing the plane, and those they said had covered up the action, to be prosecuted.

Social media users also vented anger at the government's actions.

US President Donald Trump tweeted in both English and Farsi, saying: "To the brave and suffering Iranian people: I have stood with you since the beginning of my presidency and my government will continue to stand with you.

"We are following your protests closely. Your courage is inspiring."

How did the Iranian admission unfold?
For three days, Iran denied reports its missiles had brought down the plane, with one spokesman accusing Western nations of "lying and engaging in psychological warfare".

But on Saturday morning, a statement read on state TV accepted the plane had been shot down.

Brig-Gen Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the Revolutionary Guards' aerospace commander, explained what happened.

He said a missile operator had acted independently and alone, mistaking the plane for a "cruise missile".

"He had 10 seconds to decide. He could have decided to strike or not to strike and under such circumstances he took the wrong decision," Gen Hajizadeh said.

Gen Hajizadeh said the military would upgrade its systems to prevent such "mistakes" in the future.

He also said he had informed the authorities about what had happened on Wednesday, raising questions about why Iran had denied involvement for so long.

Both Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have demanded accountability from Iran.

Plane crash victims 'were the best of us'
Why were so many Canadians on the plane?
Mr Trudeau said on Saturday there must be a full investigation with "full clarity on how such a horrific tragedy could have occurred".
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51081833
 
Mian said:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Almost the same happened to India last year.<br><br>Lost 40 troops in Pulwama.<br>Failed to inflict casualties in Balakot.<br>Bases targetted & warned, PAF released video.<br>Accidently shot down own Mi-17, lost 6 more.<br>Lost at least one confirmed Jet & got the pilot captured.<br>Declared victory. <a href="https://t.co/7kLzURxx1h">https://t.co/7kLzURxx1h</a></p>— Asfandyar Bhittani (@BhittaniKhannnn) <a href="https://twitter.com/BhittaniKhannnn/status/1215896619775922181?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Click to expand...

There was also an unidentified Indian comercial flight in Pakistani airspace but (Thanks to Allah) Pak air force reacted accordingly and everything went smoothly.

Just imagine what if Pak air force shot it down? A war would have been erupted.

I can say we were lucky there. Maybe it was an Indian plan to start a war or maybe it was a mistake, who knows?
 
Syed1 said:
Contrast this with the measures Pakistan took when India sent a passenger plane disguised as IAF but instead of shooting it down PAF first escorted couple of Vipers to visually confirm whether it is hostile or not.

Difference in professionalism is for all to see. I was in Irani camp when Suliemeni was killed but this act of utter stupidity should not go unpunished.
Click to expand...

This.

PAF followed the protocole and didn't panic.
 
Iran is a threat to world peace and the aim for every civilized country should be to engineer a regime change in that region if the world
 
Mamoon said:
A competent state does not panic. Iran have no one to blame for their sheer incompetence.
Click to expand...

When tensions are high it can happen no matter how competent the state are perceived to be. Cast your mind back to the aftermath of the 7/7 bombings in London and the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes.

The undisputed fact is that the airliner would not have been downed had Trump not given the order to kill the Iranian General(s).
Yesterday the US confirmed they also targeted the leading Iranian army officer in Yemen on the same day as Sulemani was killed but this was unsuccessful.
Under which international law can the US carry out such actions?
 
Slog said:
Iran is a threat to world peace and the aim for every civilized country should be to engineer a regime change in that region if the world
Click to expand...

Amazing how many intelligent folks buy into this Republican foreign policy claptrap, one would've thought people learned their lessons after the Iraq disaster. Without Iran, Baghdad would have fallen to ISIS in 2014 when the Iraqi Army crapped itself despite overwhelming numerical superiority. The black flag of ISIS and Al-Nusra would also be flying over Damascus by now giving terrorists all over the Middle East a safe haven to operate from.

There is far greater cause to call for the overthrow of House of Saud who've funded terrorism all over the world, and destroyed the last vestiges of moderate Islam in the region. Saudi Arabia have spent the last five years bombing the poorest country in the Middle East in Yemen to smithereens and triggered the worst man-made humanitarian crisis of our time.

If a drone strike on Sulemani is justified due to having "blood on his hands", then an even more compelling case can be made to bring war criminal Mohammed bin Salman, the darling of western corporations (and the western press until he dismembered one of their own), to justice.
 
Pakistanis backing this US campaign against Iran ought to think about what happens when you take Trump's argument to its logical conclusion.

After Pakistan were found to have sheltered Osama bin Laden, the most wanted terrorist on the planet for a decade, would it have been right for a US President to assassinate Kayani or Pasha in 2011 ? After all one could argue their policies constituted an "imminent threat" to regional security seeing OBL was part of a group still actively plotting attacks against the US and other countries. And it has been state policy for decades to back various militant groups in the region just as Iran has in the name of promoting national interests.

Comversely, after the wars of Iraq and Afghanistan, would it have been right for a terrorist group to assassinate Gen Petraeus or McChrystal ?

This is madness. And since Trump keeps ripping up international agreements then what's the incentive for diplomacy ? You can forget about the chances of a North Korea nuclear agreement. Kim Jong Un would be committing a dereliction of duty if he did not rapidly speed up his nuclear programme.
 
Iran's leaders are facing a second day of protests following their admission the military shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane, killing all 176 people on board, many of them Iranians.

Demonstrators gathered at universities in Tehran and at sites in other cities, calling for senior officials to go.

Riot police have been sent to Tehran's Azadi Square and at other landmarks.

Iran admitted "unintentionally" hitting the plane after initially denying it amid rising tensions with the US.

The plane, en route to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, was shot down near Tehran last Wednesday, shortly after Iran had launched missiles at two airbases housing US forces in Iraq.

Those strikes were a response to the US killing of senior Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike in Baghdad on 3 January.

Dozens of Iranians and Canadians, as well as nationals from Ukraine, the UK, Afghanistan and Sweden died on the plane.

What has happened at Sunday's protests?
Demonstrators attended new protests despite a large deployment of security forces.

Riot police, members of the elite Revolutionary Guard on motorbikes, and plainclothes security officials were out in force.

In one apparently symbolic act rejecting state propaganda, video showed students taking care not to walk over US and Israeli flags painted on the ground at Shahid Beheshti university in Tehran.

In some social media clips, protesters can be heard chanting anti-government slogans, including: "They are lying that our enemy is America, our enemy is right here."

Unverified social media footage showed clapping and chanting protesters in Tehran's Azadi square - and reports of clashes with security forces.

Scores of protesters were also reported at sites in other cities.

Those who decide to continue demonstrating will be mindful of the violence with which the security forces have dealt with protest movements in the past. the BBC's Arab affairs editor Sebastian Usher says.

On Saturday, students had gathered outside two universities. They initially did so to pay respect to the victims, but angry protests erupted later in the evening and tear gas was reportedly fired to disperse them.

A number of Iranian newspapers have covered the vigils for the victims of the disaster alongside headlines such as "Shame" and "Unforgivable".

But there has also been praise for what one pro-government newspaper called Iran's "honest" admission of error.

There were also protests on Sunday in Tehran in support of Soleimani, and opposing the US and UK.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51081833
 
Iqbal'sh said:
When tensions are high it can happen no matter how competent the state are perceived to be. Cast your mind back to the aftermath of the 7/7 bombings in London and the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes.

The undisputed fact is that the airliner would not have been downed had Trump not given the order to kill the Iranian General(s).
Yesterday the US confirmed they also targeted the leading Iranian army officer in Yemen on the same day as Sulemani was killed but this was unsuccessful.
Under which international law can the US carry out such actions?
Click to expand...

This line of thinking is ridiculous.

USA’s foreign policy blunders are independent of Iran goofing up in spectacular fashion. If you panic to the extent that you end up shooting a commercial jet you have no one else to blame.

Besides, if we are blaming circumstances for Iran’s blunder, why stop at the murder of Soleimani?

If so and so didn’t happen, the U.S. wouldn’t have the motivation to kill him in the first place.

If the Iranian revolution didn’t take place, Iran would be a U.S. ally and Trump wouldn’t need to kill Soleimani.

How far are we willing to go with this logic? The possibilities are endless. Ultimately, you are responsible for your own actions.

Yes the U.S. also shot an Irani plane and it was a terrible mistake, but that was in in 1988 and this is 2020.

In 2020, if your military cannot differentiate a commercial plane from a fighter jet, how do you expect to be taken seriously?

The Scotland Yard shooting a innocent man because of wrong suspicions is not exactly the same as shooting a commercial plane with 176 passengers.

It is futile to blame U.S. for this farce.
 
Markhor said:
Amazing how many intelligent folks buy into this Republican foreign policy claptrap, one would've thought people learned their lessons after the Iraq disaster. Without Iran, Baghdad would have fallen to ISIS in 2014 when the Iraqi Army crapped itself despite overwhelming numerical superiority. The black flag of ISIS and Al-Nusra would also be flying over Damascus by now giving terrorists all over the Middle East a safe haven to operate from.

There is far greater cause to call for the overthrow of House of Saud who've funded terrorism all over the world, and destroyed the last vestiges of moderate Islam in the region. Saudi Arabia have spent the last five years bombing the poorest country in the Middle East in Yemen to smithereens and triggered the worst man-made humanitarian crisis of our time.

If a drone strike on Sulemani is justified due to having "blood on his hands", then an even more compelling case can be made to bring war criminal Mohammed bin Salman, the darling of western corporations (and the western press until he dismembered one of their own), to justice.
Click to expand...

I’ve always supported house of Saud being overthrown

And independent of my thoughts on the current issue I have hundredfold more respect for the Iranian regime than the Saudi puppets.

However these aren’t mutually exclusive matters
 
Mamoon said:
This line of thinking is ridiculous.

USA’s foreign policy blunders are independent of Iran goofing up in spectacular fashion. If you panic to the extent that you end up shooting a commercial jet you have no one else to blame.

Besides, if we are blaming circumstances for Iran’s blunder, why stop at the murder of Soleimani?

If so and so didn’t happen, the U.S. wouldn’t have the motivation to kill him in the first place.

If the Iranian revolution didn’t take place, Iran would be a U.S. ally and Trump wouldn’t need to kill Soleimani.

How far are we willing to go with this logic? The possibilities are endless. Ultimately, you are responsible for your own actions.

Yes the U.S. also shot an Irani plane and it was a terrible mistake, but that was in in 1988 and this is 2020.

In 2020, if your military cannot differentiate a commercial plane from a fighter jet, how do you expect to be taken seriously?

The Scotland Yard shooting a innocent man because of wrong suspicions is not exactly the same as shooting a commercial plane with 176 passengers.

It is futile to blame U.S. for this farce.
Click to expand...
Despite your opinions the facts remain unchanged:
•even ‘competent’ states have panicked in situations where tensions are heightened (normally due individual/human error)
•the plane wouldn’t have been downed if the Iranian general was not killed
You’ve brought nothing new to the discussion in fact you may need to read up about events before 1979 such as the 1953 coup d’etat & also President Carter’s more than tacit support to Khomeni in 1979.
The US have played Iran more than once and it makes perfect sense for Iran to view the US with such contempt.
 
Iqbal'sh said:
Despite your opinions the facts remain unchanged:
•even ‘competent’ states have panicked in situations where tensions are heightened (normally due individual/human error)
•the plane wouldn’t have been downed if the Iranian general was not killed
You’ve brought nothing new to the discussion in fact you may need to read up about events before 1979 such as the 1953 coup d’etat & also President Carter’s more than tacit support to Khomeni in 1979.
The US have played Iran more than once and it makes perfect sense for Iran to view the US with such contempt.
Click to expand...

He just posts anti-Muslim anti Pakistan to get attention.

But you are correct, The US has been interfering in Iran for many decades. If it left Iran alone this nation would be one of the strongest in the world in economy and military.
 
Trudeau tells Iran crash vigil he will pursue 'justice and accountability'

Justin Trudeau, his voice sometimes breaking, has told a vigil for some of those killed in an Iranian plane disaster that he would “pursue justice and accountability” for what happened.

Iran says it mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian airliner on Wednesday, killing 176 people. At least 57 Canadians died, most of them of Iranian descent, in one of the biggest single losses of life Canada has suffered in 40 years.

“You may feel unbearably lonely, but you are not alone. Your entire country stands with you, tonight, tomorrow, and in all the years to come,” Canada’s prime minister told a crowd of 1,700 in a basketball gymnasium in Edmonton, Alberta, on Sunday. Edmonton was home to 13 of the victims, with most having direct links to the University of Alberta.

As Trudeau spoke, young children could be heard in the audience, and boxes of tissues were passed among those present. Black-rimmed photos of the dead stood on the stage, where mourners had placed rose petals, candles and plates of dates.

“This tragedy should have never occurred, and I want to assure you that you have my full support during this extraordinarily difficult time ... you give us purpose to pursue justice and accountability for you,” Trudeau said. “We will not rest until there are answers.”

Family and friends wept and hugged before the vigil started.

“Still I’m in shock, still I can’t believe it,” said Vahid Rezania, a friend of Edmonton engineering professor Pedram Mousavi, who was killed. “I am always thinking: ‘He is going to come. This hasn’t happened.’ It is very hard to accept.”

Alberta’s premier, Jason Kenney, a prominent political Trudeau foe, lamented an “epic demonstration of human folly” and told the vigil he had confidence the prime minister would give his all to find out what happened.

Edmonton’s Iranian community is collecting funds to pay funeral and other expenses for the victims’ families.

Earlier in the day about 2,000 people packed into a Toronto university hall, voicing grief and rage. “There is no justice in this world,” said Masoud Niknam, mourning his brother Farhad, a dentist and married father of two children.

“I don’t believe in anything anymore. We will have a hole in our hearts forever and that cannot be filled with anything.”

The memorials follow several days of grief in Canada, including candlelight vigils in many cities.

Fati Mortazavi, whose best friend died in the crash, said having a community come together helped her cope with the tragedy.

“It’s so comforting for us,” said Mortazavi. “As long as we know that someone cares for these people, that’s so important for us.”

Deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland attended the vigil in Toronto and said the loss goes well beyond the university.

“This is Toronto’s loss, this is Ontario’s loss and this is Canada’s loss,” an emotional Freeland told the vigil. Nothing will ever replace these brilliant lives that have been cut short. We will always ... bear these scars.”

Three members of Canada’s standing rapid deployment team arrived Saturday in Iran to establish a base of operations for the Canadian government in the wake of the crash.

Foreign affairs minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said on Sunday that Iran has approved visas for six more members of the team, who are currently in Ankara, Turkey, as well as for two experts from the Transportation Safety Board.

The eight are to travel to Iran on Monday, Champagne said in a series of tweets.
A spokesman for Champagne said the officials “will be there to provide consular assistance to the families of the victims, including supporting repatriation of remains, to help identify victims and to assist in the investigation.”

Canada’s Transportation Board said on Sunday it also plans to deploy a second team of investigators who specialise in aircraft recorder download and analysis.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...gil-he-will-pursue-justice-and-accountability
 
Iqbal'sh said:
Despite your opinions the facts remain unchanged:
•even ‘competent’ states have panicked in situations where tensions are heightened (normally due individual/human error)
Click to expand...

If you panick to the extent that you:

(a) don’t close your airspace after activating your anti-aircraft missile system

(b) confuse a commercial plane with an enemy plane in the year 2020

You cannot blame anyone else. This is not just a simple human error. These decisions are not taken by 1-2 individuals. This is the height of incompetence and shows how unprofessional the Iranian armed forces are.

•the plane wouldn’t have been downed if the Iranian general was not killed
You’ve brought nothing new to the discussion in fact you may need to read up about events before 1979 such as the 1953 coup d’etat & also President Carter’s more than tacit support to Khomeni in 1979.
The US have played Iran more than once and it makes perfect sense for Iran to view the US with such contempt.
Click to expand...

I did. I explained that if we blame circumstances and events, then why stop at Soleimani’s death? In fact, lets not even stop with the revolution because we can go as far back as we want. In conflicts every event is linked with a preceding event.

You can make excuses and provide justifications for any decision. You can make excuses for Modi, Hitler, Lenin, Stalin etc. etc. etc. because their decisions and motives were a consequence of so and so factors and reasons.

Heck, if Columbus hadn’t accidentally stumbled on the shores of N. America, there would be no USA today. If Iblees had obeyed Allah Almighty, there would be no evil in this world today.

Iran has every right to view U.S. with contempt, but they are solely responsible for downing the Ukrainian plane. They cannot blame it on any factors because failing to shut down their airspace and then confusing a commercial plane with a military plane is their incompetence and their negligence.
 
Iran's ambassador to the UK has been summoned to the Foreign Office (FCO), following the detention of his British counterpart in Tehran last week.

The FCO said the arrest of UK diplomat Rob Macaire after a vigil for victims of last week's plane crash was "unacceptable", a breach of the Vienna Convention and should be investigated.

No 10 said it is "seeking full assurances" it will not happen again.

Iranian ambassador Hamid Baeidinejad is expected to attend the FCO later.

Mr Macaire was attending an event on Saturday, which was advertised as a vigil for the 176 people who died in Wednesday's crash of an Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737, shortly before he was arrested.

He was held for three hours when he stopped at a barber shop for a haircut on his way back to the British embassy.

Under the Vienna Convention - which lays down rules about legal agreements between countries - diplomats cannot be detained.

In a tweet, following his arrest, the ambassador said he was attending the vigil because it was "normal to want to pay respects", adding that some of the victims were British.

Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned Mr Macaire's arrest in a joint statement following a phone call on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Downing Street has said it will "do everything we can" to support British families affected by the downed plane - including help in seeking compensation.

Five nations whose citizens were onboard the airliner will meet in London on Thursday to discuss possible legal action, Ukraine's foreign minister told the Reuters news agency.

Vadym Prystaiko said representatives from Canada, Sweden, Afghanistan, and another unnamed country would also discuss compensation and the investigation into the incident.

Protests have been taking place on the streets of the Iranian capital, Tehran, to vent anger at officials who initially denied shooting down the jet.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is expected to face questions from MPs later about the security situation in Iran.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51088104
 
Iran's president has said the downing of a plane in Tehran is an "unforgivable error" - and all those involved will be punished.

In a televised speech on Tuesday, Hassan Rouhani added that the "tragic event" would be investigated thoroughly, claiming "one person cannot be solely responsible for the crash".

He added: "Iranian armed forces admitting their mistake is a good first step.

"We should assure people that it will not happen again" - but said his government was "accountable to Iranian and other nations who lost lives".

Iran's judiciary spokesman, Gholamhossein Esmaili, has said some people have been arrested for their role in the incident - but he did not give any further details.

Ukrainian Prime Minister, Oleksiy Honcharuk, said there were 167 passengers and nine crew members on the Ukraine International Airlines flight to Kiev.

Iran and Donald Trump are at odds, but how much of a threat is Tehran to the world?

Initially, Iranian state television said flight PS 752 came down due to what it described as "technical problems" after leaving Imam Khomeini airport.

But after Iran admitted it had "unintentionally" shot down the plane, protesters took to the streets to denounce the country's clerical rulers - and riot police were deployed to face them in a third day of demonstrations on Monday.

Britain's ambassador to Iran was arrested during the demonstrations.

Rob Macaire was detained on suspicion of organising, provoking and directing radical actions - something he denied - and he was released after more than an hour in custody.

Iran's ambassador to the UK, Hamid Baeidinejad, was subsequently summoned to the Foreign Office on Monday following the "unacceptable" treatment of Mr Macaire - enabling ministers to convey their "strong objections".
https://news.sky.com/story/iran-vows-to-punish-those-responsible-for-plane-crash-11908243
 
Several people have been detained in Iran over the accidental shooting down of a Ukrainian passenger plane with a missile, the country's judiciary says.

Spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said investigations into the incident were continuing, but provided no details.

President Hassan Rouhani said the probe would be overseen by a "special court".

Ukrainian International Airlines flight PS752 was brought down shortly it took off from Tehran on Wednesday, killing all 176 people on board.

Most of the victims were Iranian and Canadian citizens.

For the first three days after the crash, Iran denied that its armed forces had shot down the Boeing 737-800 and suggested there had been a technical failure.

But as evidence mounted, the Revolutionary Guards said the operator of a missile defence system had mistaken the aircraft for a US cruise missile and fired at it.

What we know about flight PS752
Iran's air defences had been on high alert because the country had just fired ballistic missiles at two US bases in Iraq, in retaliation for the killing of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in a US drone strike in Baghdad.

The admission of responsibility provoked widespread anger in Iran, and protesters took to the streets in the capital and several other cities to denounce government lies and the clerical leadership including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

What do we know about Iran's investigation?
Mr Esmaili told a news conference in Tehran that the judiciary would "investigate the causes and direct impact of the incident".

He added: "We will investigate the extent to which US warmongering caused this event. Several people have been detained and the investigation continues."

In a televised speech, President Rouhani said the judiciary would assemble a special court with a high-ranking judge and tens of experts to oversee the probe.

"This will not be a regular and usual case. The whole world will be watching this court," he added.

Mr Rouhani also stressed that Wednesday's "tragic event" should not be blamed on one individual.

"It's not only the person who pulled the trigger, but also others who are responsible," he said.

"Iranian armed forces admitting their mistake is a good first step," he added. "We should assure people that it will not happen again."

The president also said he wanted relevant officials to explain publicly why it took days for the authorities to disclose that missiles were fired at flight PS752.

The Iranian government's spokesman has denied that it was involved a cover-up, saying Mr Rouhani was not told what had happened until Friday evening.

The commander of the Revolutionary Guards' Aerospace Force said on Saturday that he had informed "officials" about the strike hours after the incident.

Mr Esmaili also said about 30 people had been arrested for "taking part in illegal gatherings" - an apparent reference to the recent anti-government protests.

"We have tolerance towards legal rallies," he added.

On Monday, Tehran's police force denied it had fired live ammunition at protesters, after at least one person was reportedly shot and wounded the previous night.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51104687
 
Where are the experts now who said that its not possible for Iran to shoot this plane? I said that Iran shot this plane down the moment it came in the news but people here didn't believe it. US paid 200K compensation to each victim families for shooting down the aircraft in 1988 and people forgot it was 1988 and this is 2020. I don't think Iran can pay that much money.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Iran arrests the man who recorded the video showing missiles brought down Ukrainian Airlines plane. That video was first verified by <a href="https://twitter.com/nytimes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nytimes</a> & was first public proof of the tragedy.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IranProtest2020?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IranProtest2020</a> <a href="https://t.co/HLZkIKFBSL">https://t.co/HLZkIKFBSL</a></p>— Farnaz Fassihi (@farnazfassihi) <a href="https://twitter.com/farnazfassihi/status/1217071324083957760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
minamino said:
Where are the experts now who said that its not possible for Iran to shoot this plane? I said that Iran shot this plane down the moment it came in the news but people here didn't believe it. US paid 200K compensation to each victim families for shooting down the aircraft in 1988 and people forgot it was 1988 and this is 2020. I don't think Iran can pay that much money.
Click to expand...

People were rightfully asking for an official investigation.

The US did not apologise for Iran Air Flight 655 on top providing the crew of the Vincennes with medals. Quite embarrassing really.
 
Washington: Two Iranian missiles struck down a Ukrainian passenger jet, the New York Times reported Tuesday, posting verified security camera footage showing double projectiles gliding through the sky before hitting their target.

The missiles were fired 30 seconds apart and help explain a mystery as to why the plane's transponder was not working -- it was disabled by the first strike, before being hit by a second, the Times said.

The Ukraine International Airlines plane was brought down shortly after takeoff on Wednesday, killing all 176 passengers and crew on board.

Tehran had for days denied Western claims based on US intelligence that the Boeing 737 had been downed by a missile.

It came clean on Saturday when Revolutionary Guards aerospace commander Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh acknowledged a missile operator had mistaken the plane for a cruise missile and opened fire independently.

The blurry footage shows the plane on fire and circling back to Tehran's airport, the Times said. Minutes later, it exploded and crashed.

The footage was shot from a rooftop in Bidkaneh, a village four miles from an Iranian military site, the Times said.

Hundreds of angry protesters, most of them student, have taken to the streets in the wake of the tragedy, chanting slogans against the Islamic republic.

Iran announced its first arrests over the accidental shooting on Tuesday, without naming who or how many people had been detained.

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/ukr...-missiles-report-2164208?pfrom=home-topscroll
 
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has said the country's military should elaborate more on how it shot down a passenger plane by mistake last week.

Separately, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif acknowledged that Iranians "were lied to" for days afterwards.

He insisted that he and the president were also kept in the dark.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards killed 176 people when they "unintentionally" shot down the Ukrainian aircraft amid escalating tensions with the US.

Hours before, Iranian missiles had targeted two airbases in Iraq housing US forces.

Speaking on state television on Wednesday, President Rouhani called on the military to take the next steps of the investigation with "more coordination and monitoring".

"The first thing is to inform people honestly. People's grief will alleviate when they know that we feel responsible for what happened and talk with them honestly," he said.

He urged the forces "to explain to people what sessions and meetings were held since the moment that the incident happened".

Mr Zarif, during a televised interview while on a trip to India, said: "I and the president did not know [what brought the plane down] and, as soon as we did, we communicated it".

He also praised the military for being "brave enough to claim responsibility early on". However, critics have decried the three-day delay and said they only owned up after Western authorities claimed to have contrary evidence.

New footage - verified by the New York Times - shows two missiles, fired 30 seconds apart, striking the plane. It was initially though to have been hit once.

Flight PS752 was brought down after it took off from the capital, Tehran, on 8 January, when the Revolutionary Guards - a force set up to defend Iran's Islamic system - mistakenly perceived it as a threat amid escalating conflict with the US. Everyone on board died.

The deaths and the apparent initial cover-up - when the act was denied and the crash site was bulldozed - have sparked protests in various Iranian cities.

Iran rejects call for new 'Trump nuclear deal'
Police in Tehran have been accused of using live ammunition against demonstrators.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is expected to deliver Friday prayer sermons in the capital this week for the first time since 2013, in an apparent bid to ease domestic tension.

How has Iran's crisis unfolded?
Last Wednesday, Iran launched a series of strikes on two military bases in neighbouring Iraq, which were housing US troops. It was a retaliatory move after US President Donald Trump ordered a strike in Iraq that killed top Iranian General Qasam Soleimani.

A few hours after the Iranian strikes, Flight PS752 crashed near Tehran in initially unclear circumstances, although Iran's authorities immediately blamed technical difficulties.

Five reasons why the US-Iran crisis is not over
On Thursday, various Western powers - including Canada, which had 57 citizens onboard the plane - said they had evidence that Iran's military had downed the plane.

Iran reiterated its denials until Friday, when it conceded that the passenger jet was hit by its air defence systems.

Mr Zarif has now personally insisted that he and President Rouhani only found out about what had really happened on that day.

Brig-Gen Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the Revolutionary Guards' aerospace commander, has said a missile operator acted independently and alone, mistaking the plane for a "cruise missile" as there had been reports that such missiles had been fired at Iran.

He also claimed government officials had been alerted soon afterwards.

What action has been taken?
On Tuesday, Iran's judiciary spokesman, Gholamhossein Esmaili, announced that several people had been arrested.

He added that about 30 people had been detained for "taking part in illegal gatherings" - an apparent reference to recent anti-government protests.

Also on Tuesday, President Hassan Rouhani said the investigation into the aircraft strikes would be overseen by a "special court" and insisted that it would be about more than just the person who "pulled the trigger".

Iran is leading the investigation domestically and has refused to hand over recovered black-box flight recorders to manufacturer Boeing or to the US.

Meanwhile, the Revolutionary Guards have also arrested the person who filmed footage that showed the plane being shot down.

The video was shared on social media soon after the crash, leading analysts to deduce that the plane was directly hit.

It is believed the person being detained will face charges related to national security.

However, an Iranian journalist based in London who initially posted the footage has insisted that his source is safe, and that the Iranian authorities have arrested the wrong person.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51119415
 
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.

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.

For three days after the tragedy Iran denied any responsibility but after international pressure, the hardline Revolutionary Guards accepted responsibility, saying the plane had been mistaken for a "cruise missile".

The crisis has come at an extremely sensitive time for Iran, both in terms of its relationship with the international community and at home, where there have been anti-government protests.

What's the meeting in London about?
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.

"Canada will not accept a situation where we feel that we're not being given the information that we're looking for," he said on Wednesday. "Make no mistake about it, Canada is going to get to the very bottom of this."
The group wants all those responsible for the plane's downing to be held to account and arrangements made to ensure the dignified repatriation of the remains of victims to their families across the world.

The possibility of taking legal action and the issue of compensation will also be discussed, according to Ukraine's foreign minister Vadym Prystaiko.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the BBC on Tuesday that he was "glad" Iran had acknowledged making a "terrible mistake" in shooting down the plane.


Media captionPM on US-Iran tensions: "Let's dial this thing down"
"It's good that they've apologised. The most important thing now is that tensions in the region calm down," he added.

What's going on in Iran?
On Wednesday, Canadian investigators in Iran visited the site of the crash and examined the plane's wreckage.

They are expecting to be able to participate in the analysis of the plane's black box flight recorders - a key part of figuring out exactly what happened to the plane and how it crashed.

Iran arrested several people over the incident and President Hassan Rouhani said the investigation would be overseen by a "special court", noting that "the whole world will be watching".

The Revolutionary Guards has said a missile operator acted independently and alone, mistaking the plane for a "cruise missile" as there had been reports that such missiles had been fired at Iran after its strikes in Iraq.

But Mr Rouhani has stressed that the "tragic event" should not be blamed on one individual.

On Wednesday, in a sign of friction between the government and the armed forces over the incident, he called on Iran's military to elaborate on how it shot down the plane. His foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, acknowledged that Iranians had been "lied to" for days but insisted the government was also kept in the dark.

The Revolutionary Guards, a force set up to defend the government after the 1979 revolution, has claimed government officials were alerted soon after the incident.

The shooting down of the plane and its fall-out led to days of protests in some Iranian cities, with demonstrators condemning the authorities for not telling the truth.

Iran is facing pressures on many fronts - its economy is struggling under US sanctions, its most powerful general was recently killed by a US drone strike, and a nuclear deal it signed with world powers looks close to collapse.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51133865
 
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has defended the country's armed forces after it admitted shooting down a passenger plane by mistake.

He said the Revolutionary Guard - the elite unit responsible for the disaster - "maintained the security" of Iran.

Widespread protests and criticism from abroad have put growing pressure on Iran over its handling of the incident.

But the ayatollah tried to rally support as he led Friday prayers in Tehran for the first time since 2012.

The Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737-800 was travelling to Kyiv from Tehran on 8 January when it crashed shortly after take-off. All 176 passengers on board, including nationals from Iran, Canada, Sweden and the UK, were killed.

The ayatollah called for "national unity" and said Iran's "enemies" - a reference to Washington and its allies - had used the shooting down of the plane to overshadow the killing of senior Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in a US drone strike.

"Our enemies were as happy about the plane crash as we were sad," he said. "[They were] happy that they had found something to question the Guard and the armed forces."

The Iranian authorities initially denied responsibility but, after international pressure mounted, the hardline Revolutionary Guard admitted that the plane had been mistaken for a "cruise missile" during heightened tensions with the US.

Hours before it was shot down, and in response to the killing of Soleimani, Iranian missiles targeted two airbases in Iraq that housed US forces.

Washington initially said no US troops had been injured, but it later reported that 11 people had been treated for concussion after they showed symptoms days after the missile strikes.

What else did the ayatollah say?
Ayatollah Khamenei, 80, addressed the nation from the Mosalla mosque in the capital. The last time he did so was in 2012 on the 33rd anniversary of the country's Islamic Revolution.

Leading Friday prayers in the capital is a symbolically significant act usually reserved for times when Iran's highest authority wishes to deliver an important message, says Mehdi Khalaji of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Said the Iranian missile strikes in Iraq were a "slap on the face" to the US
Described Iran's elite Quds Force - which the US has designated a terrorist organisation - as a "humanitarian organisation with human values"
Called Soleimani's funeral and the Iranian military response a "turning point in history"

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51140806
 
Iran to send black boxes from downed jet to Ukraine

The flight recorders from the airliner which was accidentally shot down by Iranian forces will be sent to Ukraine, Iranian media has said.

All 176 passengers and crew aboard Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 were killed when it was shot down soon after take-off from Tehran International Airport earlier this month.

Four British nationals were among those killed, but most of the victims were from Iran and Canada.

Hassan Rezaifar, director of accident investigations at Iran's Civil Aviation Organisation, said they plan to use US, French and Canadian expertise and "try to read the (flight data recorder) in Kiev," the Tasnim news agency said.

"If this effort is unsuccessful then the black box will be sent to France," Mr Rezaifar said, adding that they will not be read in Iran, Tasnim said.

https://news.sky.com/story/iran-to-send-black-boxes-from-downed-jet-to-ukraine-11911509
 
Ayatollah Khamenei leading the Friday prayers in Tehran for the first time in eight years. Regardless of your views on Iran no other Muslim leader can get this much adulation from the public. 1 hour 24 mark.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zmgZ3Qc4Yy8" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Iran should learn from the incident and must not repeat the same mistake. They should be careful next time.
 
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