Iran "Will Send Black Box of Downed Passenger Plane to Ukraine"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Buaeri] Iran announced that it will send the black box of the Ukrainian passenger plane that was shot down in its territory to Ukraine.

On the 18th (local time), AP News quoted Hassan Rezaeifar, head of accident investigation at the Iranian Civil Aviation Department, saying that it is impossible to analyze the black box in Iran.

Rezaeifar said that experts from France, the United States, and Canada will assist in analyzing the black box in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, and if it is difficult even in Kyiv, the black box will be sent to France.

Meanwhile, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged full responsibility for the downing of the Ukrainian passenger plane but stated that this incident, which occurred by mistake, should not be exploited as a political tool to pressure Iran.

Seyed Abbas Mousavi, spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a statement the day before, "I was surprised by the remarks made at the ministerial meeting of the affected countries held in London on the 16th."

Mousavi specifically pointed to Fran?ois-Philippe Champagne, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, saying, "Iran has stated from the first day of the incident that it would do its best to provide consular assistance such as visa issuance from a humanitarian perspective, yet he demanded otherwise."

He continued, "After Iran and Canada severed diplomatic relations in 2012, Iran repeatedly suggested that Canada establish an interests section in Tehran, but Canada refused due to pressure from the United States. I am suspicious of Canada's intentions in making such remarks now."

He emphasized, "The parties involved should not politically exploit humanitarian issues under the pretext of families who lost loved ones."

On the 16th in London, five affected countries (Canada, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Sweden, and the United Kingdom) urged Iran to conduct an independent and transparent international investigation involving all parties and to compensate the victims. Minister Champagne pressured Iran by saying, "The eyes of the international community are now on Iran. Iran must make a choice. The whole world is watching."

Earlier, on the 8th, a Ukraine International Airlines passenger plane that took off from Imam Khomeini Airport in Tehran was shot down by an air defense missile of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, killing all 176 people on board. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that the air defense unit mistakenly shot down the passenger plane, mistaking it for a U.S. cruise missile amid heightened military tensions with the United States that were at a war level.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.