STOCKHOLM: Sweden said Thursday that Iran had agreed to compensate the families of the foreign victims of a Ukrainian passenger plane that was shot down outside Tehran in January.
The Boeing 737 aircraft was struck by two missiles and crashed shortly after taking off from Tehran airport on January 8, killing all 176 people on board.
The Islamic republic admitted days later that its forces accidentally shot down the Kiev-bound jetliner.
"We have signed an agreement of mutual understanding that we will now negotiate with Iran about amends, compensation to the victims' next of kin," Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde told news agency TT, in a statement confirmed by her press secretary to AFP.
Linde said the agreement had been reached after negotiations with Iran and the countries with citizens among the victims.
While it was still unclear what sums would be paid out, Linde said there was "no doubt" that Iran would follow through on the compensation.
Among the victims, many were Iranian-Canadians, but there were also victims from Sweden, Britain, Afghanistan, and Ukraine, including the nine crew members.
Iran to compensate downed passenger plane victims' families: Sweden
https://arab.news/g38kn
Iran to compensate downed passenger plane victims' families: Sweden
- The Ukrainian passenger plane was shot down outside Tehran in January
Syrian authorities intercept cocaine shipment originating from Brazil
- The Anti-Narcotics Directorate stopped the consignment before it left the port at Lattakia
LONDON: The Anti-Narcotics Directorate in the Syrian Arab Republic seized a large shipment of liquid cocaine at Lattakia on the Mediterranean Sea, intended for distribution in the region.
The Ministry of Interior announced on Monday that the cocaine shipment originated from Brazil and that it was hidden inside vegetable oil containers.
Authorities intercepted the drugs, which were planned to be smuggled to a neighboring country, before the load left the port, following precise intelligence, the ministry added.
Specialized security teams are investigating the case to identify those involved. Officials noted that the operation reflects the Narcotics Directorate's ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking and protect public security, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency.
