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| Iran's admission it shot down airliner is 'important first step', says Boris Johnson – as it happened | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Tehran says its military unintentionally shot down Ukraine International Airlines flight 752, killing all 176 people onboard | Tehran says its military unintentionally shot down Ukraine International Airlines flight 752, killing all 176 people onboard |
| We are closing this liveblog now. Here’s a summary of what has happened today and you can read the latest story from our Turkey and Middle East correspondent Bethan McKernan here. | We are closing this liveblog now. Here’s a summary of what has happened today and you can read the latest story from our Turkey and Middle East correspondent Bethan McKernan here. |
| Iran has admitted that its military unintentionally shot down a Ukrainian jetliner as it flew from its capital, killing all 176 people onboard, after days of rejecting western intelligence claims that it had been hit by an Iranian surface to air missile. | Iran has admitted that its military unintentionally shot down a Ukrainian jetliner as it flew from its capital, killing all 176 people onboard, after days of rejecting western intelligence claims that it had been hit by an Iranian surface to air missile. |
| Iran’s ambassador to the UK, Hamid Baeidinejad, tweeted his apologies for circulating misleading statements. | Iran’s ambassador to the UK, Hamid Baeidinejad, tweeted his apologies for circulating misleading statements. |
| Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has demanded that Iran punish those responsible for the downing of the airliner, as well as pay compensation and apologise. | Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has demanded that Iran punish those responsible for the downing of the airliner, as well as pay compensation and apologise. |
| Iran’s Revolutionary Guards accepted responsibility for shooting down UIA 752. | Iran’s Revolutionary Guards accepted responsibility for shooting down UIA 752. |
| Boris Johnson has called Iran’s admission it shot down a passenger plane by mistake an “important first step”. | Boris Johnson has called Iran’s admission it shot down a passenger plane by mistake an “important first step”. |
| Catch up on news and analysis of the disaster: | Catch up on news and analysis of the disaster: |
| Iran admits unintentionally shooting down Ukrainian airliner | Iran admits unintentionally shooting down Ukrainian airliner |
| Iran plane crash admission triggers international calls for full investigation | Iran plane crash admission triggers international calls for full investigation |
| Iran plane crash admission sparks unrest in Tehran | Iran plane crash admission sparks unrest in Tehran |
| Iranian President Hassan Rouhani promised further investigation into the downing of an Ukrainian passenger plane during a phone conversation with Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday, state news agency IRNA reported. | Iranian President Hassan Rouhani promised further investigation into the downing of an Ukrainian passenger plane during a phone conversation with Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday, state news agency IRNA reported. |
| “Iran welcomes any international cooperation in the framework of international regulations to shed more light on the incident,” Rouhani said, promising further investigation into the crash that Tehran said was caused by its air defences “unintentionally”. | “Iran welcomes any international cooperation in the framework of international regulations to shed more light on the incident,” Rouhani said, promising further investigation into the crash that Tehran said was caused by its air defences “unintentionally”. |
| Iran and Canada cut diplomatic ties in 2012. | Iran and Canada cut diplomatic ties in 2012. |
| In related news, German chancellor Angela Merkel repeated a call for all parties to respect the Iranian nuclear accord, despite Iran’s decision to intensify its enrichment of uranium and moves by the United States to impose economic sanctions, PA reports. | In related news, German chancellor Angela Merkel repeated a call for all parties to respect the Iranian nuclear accord, despite Iran’s decision to intensify its enrichment of uranium and moves by the United States to impose economic sanctions, PA reports. |
| Under a deal brokered in 2015, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran agreed with China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States, to restrict its nuclear program. | Under a deal brokered in 2015, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran agreed with China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States, to restrict its nuclear program. |
| Merkel said: | Merkel said: |
| Unlike the US, which on Friday imposed new economic sanctions on Iran, the Europeans have given Tehran more time to avoid nuclear proliferation rather than begin a process that could lead to a reimposition of UN sanctions. | Unlike the US, which on Friday imposed new economic sanctions on Iran, the Europeans have given Tehran more time to avoid nuclear proliferation rather than begin a process that could lead to a reimposition of UN sanctions. |
| Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau is due to speak shortly, his third press conference since the plane was shot down on Wednesday morning. | Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau is due to speak shortly, his third press conference since the plane was shot down on Wednesday morning. |
| Meanwhile, Canadian officials have expressed frustration over an inability to access the crash site— despite an invitation from Iranian officials to do so. | Meanwhile, Canadian officials have expressed frustration over an inability to access the crash site— despite an invitation from Iranian officials to do so. |
| François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s foreign minister, told reporters Friday evening that only two of the 10 members of the delegation had been granted visas for travel to Iran while they waited in Turkey. | François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s foreign minister, told reporters Friday evening that only two of the 10 members of the delegation had been granted visas for travel to Iran while they waited in Turkey. |
| Two officials from Canada’s transportation safety board are also waiting for proper documentation. | Two officials from Canada’s transportation safety board are also waiting for proper documentation. |
| In Canada, there have been calls from the Iranian Canadian community for those responsible for downing the aircraft to be held accountable. | In Canada, there have been calls from the Iranian Canadian community for those responsible for downing the aircraft to be held accountable. |
| Payman Parseyan, former president of the Iranian Heritage Society of Edmonton, has tweeted an emotional statement following Iran’s admission it brought down the plane. | Payman Parseyan, former president of the Iranian Heritage Society of Edmonton, has tweeted an emotional statement following Iran’s admission it brought down the plane. |
| He said: “There are no winners in this story and only communities left devastated. Iran’s government has yet to be held accountable and answer for this tragedy that took the lives of some [of] our brightest, our friends, neighbours and fellow Canadian[s].” | He said: “There are no winners in this story and only communities left devastated. Iran’s government has yet to be held accountable and answer for this tragedy that took the lives of some [of] our brightest, our friends, neighbours and fellow Canadian[s].” |
| Meanwhile the Iranian Canadian congress said in a statement following the news, reiterating calls for a thorough investigation. | Meanwhile the Iranian Canadian congress said in a statement following the news, reiterating calls for a thorough investigation. |
| Reuters is reporting that Iran’s Fars news agency has published a report on the protests in Tehran, which have sprung up following the admission that the passenger plane was shot down. This is unusual as the agency, which is widely seen as close to the the powerful Revolutionary Guards, rarely reports on anti-government unrest. | Reuters is reporting that Iran’s Fars news agency has published a report on the protests in Tehran, which have sprung up following the admission that the passenger plane was shot down. This is unusual as the agency, which is widely seen as close to the the powerful Revolutionary Guards, rarely reports on anti-government unrest. |
| The report said protesters were chanting slogans against the nation’s top authorities and that demonstrators on the street had also ripped up pictures of Qassem Soleimani, the prominent commander of the Guard’s Quds Force who was killed in a US drone strike. | The report said protesters were chanting slogans against the nation’s top authorities and that demonstrators on the street had also ripped up pictures of Qassem Soleimani, the prominent commander of the Guard’s Quds Force who was killed in a US drone strike. |
| The agency carried pictures of the gathering and a torn banner of Soleimani. It said the protesters numbered about 700 to 1,000 people. | The agency carried pictures of the gathering and a torn banner of Soleimani. It said the protesters numbered about 700 to 1,000 people. |
| Iran’s civil aviation authority has said that Ukrainian International Airlines flight 752 did not veer off its normal course before an anti-aircraft battery launched a missile at it. | Iran’s civil aviation authority has said that Ukrainian International Airlines flight 752 did not veer off its normal course before an anti-aircraft battery launched a missile at it. |
| The latest admission over the downing of the flight with the loss of 176 passengers comes after UIA’s president and vice-president reacted angrily to what they saw as hints by the Iranian authorities that their crew was in some way to blame for the incident. | The latest admission over the downing of the flight with the loss of 176 passengers comes after UIA’s president and vice-president reacted angrily to what they saw as hints by the Iranian authorities that their crew was in some way to blame for the incident. |
| Protesters in Tehran are demanding the resignation of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to a Reuters report that offers some context to the footage in tweets embedded in an earlier post. | Protesters in Tehran are demanding the resignation of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to a Reuters report that offers some context to the footage in tweets embedded in an earlier post. |
| “Commander-in-chief [Khamenei] resign, resign,” the videos showed hundreds of people chanting in front of Tehran’s Amirkabir University. | “Commander-in-chief [Khamenei] resign, resign,” the videos showed hundreds of people chanting in front of Tehran’s Amirkabir University. |
| Reuters said it could not verify the authenticity of the video footage. | Reuters said it could not verify the authenticity of the video footage. |
| The Ukrainian prosecutor general’s office has said it is investigating possible wilfil killing and aircraft destruction in its probe of the crash of a Ukrainian airliner in Iran, Reuters reports. | The Ukrainian prosecutor general’s office has said it is investigating possible wilfil killing and aircraft destruction in its probe of the crash of a Ukrainian airliner in Iran, Reuters reports. |
| As Iranians protest over their government’s mishandling of the downing of Ukrainian International Airlines flight 752, in London Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn has addressed hundreds marching against the prospect of war with Iran. | As Iranians protest over their government’s mishandling of the downing of Ukrainian International Airlines flight 752, in London Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn has addressed hundreds marching against the prospect of war with Iran. |
| The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), which co-organised the demonstration with the Stop the War Coalition, is carrying photos of the protest on its Twitter feed. | The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), which co-organised the demonstration with the Stop the War Coalition, is carrying photos of the protest on its Twitter feed. |
| Following on from the previous report about domestic reaction to the Iranian mea culpa, reports are emerging on Twitter of protests in the street in Tehran over the government’s handling of the fiasco. | Following on from the previous report about domestic reaction to the Iranian mea culpa, reports are emerging on Twitter of protests in the street in Tehran over the government’s handling of the fiasco. |