Iran accuses Ukraine of ‘pursuing political goals’ over lawsuit with UN court
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Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accused Ukraine, Canada, Sweden, and the UK of allegedly "pursuing political goals" through their lawsuit against Iran filed with the UN International Court of Justice, Iranian news agency IRNA reported on July 10. This lawsuit pertains to Iran downing the Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 in 2020.
The Iranian ministry's statement asserts that the country immediately established an "independent technical group" after the plane was shot down. The statement also claims that Iran is undertaking necessary measures "in good faith, with transparency, and utmost seriousness" to conduct an investigation and ascertain all elements of this tragic incident.
Furthermore, the statement alleges that Iran has provided assistance and promptly facilitated visas for over 50 specialists and experts from Ukraine and Canada to visit the crash site.
Iran's government said that a technical report, prepared with the involvement of experts from France, the United States, Ukraine, Canada, and the UK, was compiled following the conclusion of the investigation. The statement further highlights that the report was "well-received" by the majority of these experts.
According to the statement, Tehran's military prosecutor's office conducted a detailed and thorough investigation independently, objectively, and in accordance with Iran's internal laws and regulations, based on its legal jurisdiction.
Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also declared its willingness to participate in joint negotiations with the governments of the four countries, with the aim to "demonstrate goodwill and prevent the use of this tragic incident for political purposes."
The ministry stated that it awaits a response from these countries to continue negotiations at a determined time.
"Their request for negotiations was essentially a means to achieve their political goals and interests, as they referred the case to the UN International Court of Justice," added the statement.
On June 29, Ukraine and other participants of the International Coordination Group filed a lawsuit against Iran with the UN International Court of Justice over the downing of flight PS752.
The Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737-800, flying from Tehran to Kyiv, was shot down on January 8, 2020, shortly after taking off from the Tehran airport. All 176 people aboard, including 11 Ukrainians, were killed. Most of the victims were Iranian and Canadian citizens.
Four days after the crash, Iran officially admitted that its military mistakenly shot down the airliner, mistaking it for a hostile target. The plane’s flight recorders confirmed that the aircraft was in good condition and the crash occurred due to two surface-to-air missile hits.
Iran maintains that the plane crash was due to a mistake by an air defense operator, not an order from the military leadership. Ukraine disputes this stance, demanding participation in the investigation and financial compensation.
In April 2023, an Iranian court sentenced 10 Iranian military personnel implicated in the plane crash to prison terms. One commander received a 10-year sentence, while the other nine military personnel were given sentences ranging from one to three years.
The International Assistance Coordination Group that represents the victims of the plane crash characterized the trial as fictitious and non-transparent, asserting that the victims' families are still awaiting justice.
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