Zelensky demands full investigation into plane crash by Iran with access for Ukrainian experts

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Iran to conduct a comprehensive and transparent investigation into the deadly Ukrainian airliner crash, after Tehran admitted accidentally shooting down the jet.

Zelensky made his statement after Iran officially admitted that its army had downed Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 by mistake, killing all 176 people on board, including 11 Ukrainians.

We expect from Iran assurances of their readiness for a full and open investigation, bringing those responsible to justice, the return of the bodies of the dead, the payment of compensation, official apologies through diplomatic channels.

The Ukrainian leader also expressed hope that the probe into the tragedy would continue “without artificial delays and obstacles.”

“Our 45 experts must be granted complete access and cooperation” during the investigation, Zelensky stressed.

While accepting responsibility for the mistake, the Iranian Army said its air defenses were placed on high alert because US President Donald Trump had threatened to strike dozen of sites on Iranian territory.

The Army General Staff said that they had received reports of possible US airstrikes, after which the Ukrainian passenger plane was mistaken for a hostile target because it was flying towards a military installation near Tehran.

Several hours before the airliner was shot down, Iran had fired a volley of missiles at two bases in Iraq that house US troops. The action was a response to a US drone strike that killed high-ranking Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani at an airport in Baghdad.

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