Iran yesterday denied Western allegations a Ukrainian jetliner that crashed outside Tehran was brought down by an Iranian missile, and called on the US and Canada to share information they have on the crash, which killed all 176 people onboard.
Western leaders said the plane appeared to have been unintentionally hit by a surface-to-air missile near Tehran, just hours after Iran launched a series of ballistic missiles at two US bases in Iraq to avenge the killing of a top general in an US airstrike last week.
US, Canadian and British officials said it was “highly likely” that Iran shot down the plane on Tuesday.
Photo: EPA-EFE
US officials said the jetliner might have been mistakenly identified as a threat.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose country lost at least 63 citizens in the downing, said: “We have intelligence from multiple sources including our allies and our own intelligence.”
“The evidence indicates that the plane was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile,” Trudeau said.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison offered similar statements.
The US officials did not say what intelligence they had that pointed to an Iranian missile, believed to be fired by a Russian Tor system, known to NATO as the SA-15, but they acknowledged the existence of satellites and other sensors in the region, as well as the likelihood of communication interceptions and other intelligence.
Iranian officials denied the claims.
“What is obvious for us, and what we can say with certainty, is that no missile hit the plane,” Iranian Civil Aviation Organization chief executive Ali Abedzadeh told a news conference.
“If they are really sure, they should come and show their findings to the world” in accordance with international standards, Abedzadeh said.
Hassan Rezaeifar, the head of the Iranian investigation team into the crash told the same news conference that recovering data from the flight recorders could take more than a month and that the entire investigation could stretch into next year.
He also said that Iran might request help from international experts if it is not able to extract the flight recordings.
The Islamic Republic News Agency quoted Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Abbas Mousavi as saying that Iran “has invited both Ukraine and the Boeing company to participate in the investigations.”
Mousavi said that the ministry would also welcome experts from other countries’ whose citizens died in the crash.
The US National Transportation Safety Board on Thursday said that it would “evaluate its level of participation,” but its role could be limited by US sanctions on Iran.
US officials have also expressed concern about sending employees to Iran because of tensions.
Under rules set by a UN aviation organization, the US agency is entitled to participate because the crash involved a Boeing 737-800 jet that was designed and built in the US.
ANNOUNCEMENT: People who do not comply with the ban after a spoken warning would be reported to the police, the airport company said on Friday Taoyuan International Airport Corp on Friday announced that riding on vehicles, including scooter-suitcases (also known as “scootcases”), bicycles, scooters and skateboards, is prohibited in the airport’s terminals. Those using such vehicles should manually pull them or place them on luggage trolleys, the company said in a Facebook post. The ban intends to maintain order and protect travelers’ safety, as the airport often sees large crowds of people, it said, adding that it has stepped up publicity for the regulation, and those who do not comply after a spoken warning would be reported to the police. The company yesterday said that
NEW YEAR’S ADDRESS: ‘No matter what threats and challenges Taiwan faces, democracy is the only path,’ William Lai said, urging progress ‘without looking back’ President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday urged parties across the political divide to democratically resolve conflicts that have plagued domestic politics within Taiwan’s constitutional system. In his first New Year’s Day address since becoming president on May 20 last year, Lai touched on several issues, including economic and security challenges, but a key emphasis was on the partisan wrangling that has characterized his first seven months in office. Taiwan has transformed from authoritarianism into today’s democracy and that democracy is the future, Lai said. “No matter what threats and challenges Taiwan faces, democracy is the only path for Taiwan,” he said. “The only choice
CORRUPTION: Twelve other people were convicted on charges related to giving illegal benefits, forgery and money laundering, with sentences ranging from one to five years The Yilan District Court yesterday found Yilan County Commissioner Lin Zi-miao (林姿妙) guilty of corruption, sentencing her to 12 years and six months in prison. The Yilan District Prosecutors’ Office in 2022 indicted 10 government officials and five private individuals, including Lin, her daughter and a landowner. Lin was accused of giving illegal favors estimated to be worth NT$2.4 million (US$73,213) in exchange for using a property to conduct activities linked to the 2020 Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential and legislative election campaigns. Those favors included exempting some property and construction firms from land taxes and building code contraventions that would have required
TECH CORRIDOR: Technology centers and science parks in the south would be linked, bolstering the AI, semiconductor, biotech, drone, space and smart agriculture industries The Executive Yuan yesterday approved a “Southern Silicon Valley” project to promote the development of an artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor industry in Chiayi County, Tainan, Pingtung County and Kaohsiung. The plan would build an integrated “S-shaped semiconductor industry corridor” that links technology centers and science parks in the south, Executive Yuan spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said yesterday after a Cabinet meeting. The project would bolster the AI, semiconductor, biotech, drone, space and smart agriculture industries, she said. The proposed tech corridor would be supported by government efforts to furnish computing power, workforce, supply chains and policy measures that encourage application and integration
RSS