OTTAWA: Britain, Sweden and Ukraine on Wednesday accused Iran of stalling redress for the families of victims of a downed Ukraine flight, saying Tehran has yet to agree to talks.
The Islamic republic shot down Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 shortly after take-off from its capital Tehran on January 8, 2020, killing all 176 people aboard, including 85 Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
Three days later, it admitted that its forces had mistakenly targeted the Kiev-bound Boeing 737-800 plane.
“We, ministers representing Canada, Sweden, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom, express our deep disappointment that the Islamic Republic of Iran has not accepted our multiple requests to meet on November 22, 2021 to negotiate on the matter of reparations for the downing of Flight PS752,” the four nations said in a joint statement.
On Friday, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly spoke with her British counterpart Elizabeth Truss, and committed jointly “to seeking justice by holding Iran accountable.”
The four nations seeking redress said Wednesday that if Iran continues “to avoid negotiating with the group, (they) will have no choice but to seriously consider other actions and measures to resolve this matter within the framework of international law.”
On Sunday, the trial of 10 soldiers in connection to the jetliner’s downing opened in Tehran.
In a final report in March, the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization (CAO) pointed to the missile strikes and the “alertness” of its troops on the ground amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States at the time.
The Islamic republic had just attacked a US base in Iraq in response to the killing of General Qassem Soleimani, and were expecting a response from Washington.
Ukraine, which lost 11 citizens in the disaster, said the report was “a cynical attempt to hide (the) true causes” of the tragedy, while Canada said it contained “no hard facts or evidence” and pledged to soon release the results of its own investigation.
Iran accused of stalling redress for downed Ukraine flight
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Iran accused of stalling redress for downed Ukraine flight
Spain permanently withdraws ambassador as rift with Israel deepens
- Tensions have heightened since the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, with Sa’ar accusing Spain in early March of “standing with tyrants” for opposing the war
MADRID: Spain permanently withdrew its ambassador to Israel on Tuesday as a diplomatic standoff worsened between the two countries over Spain’s opposition to the US-Israeli attacks on Iran.
The ambassador was summoned back to Spain last September amid a diplomatic row over Spanish measures banning aircraft and ships carrying weapons to Israel from its ports or airspace due to Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, which Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar denounced as antisemitic.
On Tuesday, Spain published an announcement in its official gazette that the ambassador’s position had been terminated. Spain’s Foreign Ministry said its embassy in Tel Aviv will be led by a charge d’affaires for the foreseeable future.
The move marks the latest escalation in diplomatic relations between the two countries, which have been heavily strained since Israel launched its assault on the Gaza Strip in October of 2023.
Israel’s embassy in Spain is also run by a charge d’affaires after the country summoned its ambassador last May in protest at Spain’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state.
Tensions have heightened since the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, with Sa’ar accusing Spain in early March of “standing with tyrants” for opposing the war.
