Iran says all aspects of 2020 Ukrainian plane crash ‘adequately’ investigated

Over a week into the launch of a hearing process over the accidental downing of a Ukrainian passenger plane near Tehran, Iran has defended its investigations into the case and said it has provided “adequate” attention to all aspects of the deadly tragedy that happened early last year.

According to Press TV, the Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Tuesday to enlighten public opinion about the plane crash, given the start of court hearing into the case earlier this month and an ensuing statement by the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in that regard.

Kiev, in its statement, had rejected Tehran’s invitation for the Ukrainian ambassador’s participation in the court hearings, which began on November 21. It said, “As of today, the requests for international legal assistance in criminal proceedings, sent by the Ukrainian side to the competent authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran, have not been fully complied with, the requested documents and information have not been provided by the Iranian side.”

Last week, Ukraine besides Canada, Britain, and Sweden, whose nationals had been aboard the plane, also accused Iran of stalling redress for the families of victims of the downed Ukraine flight, saying Tehran has yet to agree to talks.

Tehran, however, defended the diplomatic, legal, and criminal proceedings surrounding the January 2020 incident, which saw the Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752, en route to Kiev while carrying mostly Iranians, crash minutes after takeoff near the Iranian capital, killing all of the 176 passengers on board.

“The Iranian Foreign Ministry believes that all aspects of the Ukrainian plane crash have been adequately addressed during three rounds of talks between the delegations of the two sides and other formal bilateral contacts,” the statement said. “However, the Islamic Republic of Iran is always ready to continue bilateral interactions through the embassies of the two sides or other meetings and interactions between their officials.”

Following the plane crash, it noted, Iran made utmost efforts to interact properly with the Ukrainian government on various dimensions of the accident in a constructive and professional atmosphere and based on goodwill” in order to clear possible misunderstandings in bilateral relations.

ME