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| Iran's admission of guilt over plane crash sparks unrest in Tehran | Iran's admission of guilt over plane crash sparks unrest in Tehran |
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| Protesters speak out against supreme leader in response to deaths of Iranians in disaster | Protesters speak out against supreme leader in response to deaths of Iranians in disaster |
| A rare apology and admission of guilt from Iran has done little to quell international anger and sparked protests on the streets of Tehran, as new questions swirl over the downing of a Ukrainian passenger plane that killed 176 people. | A rare apology and admission of guilt from Iran has done little to quell international anger and sparked protests on the streets of Tehran, as new questions swirl over the downing of a Ukrainian passenger plane that killed 176 people. |
| Iran’s military released a statement via the official IRNA news agency in the early hours of Saturday admitting the “unforgivable mistake” of shooting down Ukraine International Airlines flight 752 on Wednesday. | Iran’s military released a statement via the official IRNA news agency in the early hours of Saturday admitting the “unforgivable mistake” of shooting down Ukraine International Airlines flight 752 on Wednesday. |
| The mea culpa came after three days of denials from officials in Tehran, who repeatedly dismissed western intelligence reports pointing to Iranian culpability as propaganda efforts in the midst of soaring tensions with the US. | The mea culpa came after three days of denials from officials in Tehran, who repeatedly dismissed western intelligence reports pointing to Iranian culpability as propaganda efforts in the midst of soaring tensions with the US. |
| After repeating in interviews the official line that no missiles had been fired in the timeframe that could have caused the jet to crash, the Iranian ambassador to the UK, Hamid Baeidinejad, apologised, expressing “regret for conveying such wrong findings”. | After repeating in interviews the official line that no missiles had been fired in the timeframe that could have caused the jet to crash, the Iranian ambassador to the UK, Hamid Baeidinejad, apologised, expressing “regret for conveying such wrong findings”. |
| The jetliner, a Boeing 737-800, was targeted by two surface-to-air missiles three minutes after taking off from the outskirts of Tehran on Wednesday, a few hours after Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at US targets in Iraq and was bracing for possible reprisals. | The jetliner, a Boeing 737-800, was targeted by two surface-to-air missiles three minutes after taking off from the outskirts of Tehran on Wednesday, a few hours after Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at US targets in Iraq and was bracing for possible reprisals. |
| The plane, en route to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, was carrying 167 passengers and nine crew members from several countries, including 82 Iranians, at least 57 Canadians, 11 Ukrainians and three Britons. | The plane, en route to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, was carrying 167 passengers and nine crew members from several countries, including 82 Iranians, at least 57 Canadians, 11 Ukrainians and three Britons. |
| In a press conference on Saturday, the Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, renewed his calls for transparency and justice from Iran. “What Iran has admitted to, is very serious,” he said. “Shooting down a civilian aircraft is horrific. | |
| “Iran must take full responsibility.” | |
| In an earlier call with the Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, Trudeau reiterated the importance that Canadian officials be able to access the crash site to assist in the investigation— and compensation for victims. | |
| Boris Johnson, meanwhile, said the admission was an “important first step” that “reinforces the importance of de-escalating tensions in the region”. The UK prime minister also echoed the calls of his Ukrainian and Canadian counterparts in calling for a “comprehensive, transparent and independent international investigation” into the tragedy. | |
| The Iranian strikes on two US military bases were in turn retaliation for the US drone strike that killed Gen Qassem Suleimani, the powerful al-Quds force leader, in Baghdad on 3 January – the culmination of a recent series of tit-for-tat attacks that has threatened to push Washington and Tehran into war. | The Iranian strikes on two US military bases were in turn retaliation for the US drone strike that killed Gen Qassem Suleimani, the powerful al-Quds force leader, in Baghdad on 3 January – the culmination of a recent series of tit-for-tat attacks that has threatened to push Washington and Tehran into war. |
| Saturday’s admission was met with some relief by investigators and victims’ families, who had initially feared the immediate truth about what happened to the plane would be obstructed, as has been the case with the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 downed in Ukraine six years ago. | Saturday’s admission was met with some relief by investigators and victims’ families, who had initially feared the immediate truth about what happened to the plane would be obstructed, as has been the case with the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 downed in Ukraine six years ago. |
| However, explanations from Iranian officials so far have raised fresh questions about why and how the commercial flight was targeted, and why it took so long for Iran to take responsibility. | However, explanations from Iranian officials so far have raised fresh questions about why and how the commercial flight was targeted, and why it took so long for Iran to take responsibility. |
| Gen Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) aerospace division, apologised to the nation in televised remarks and said the group took full responsibility for the disaster, saying he wished “I could die” when he heard about the incident. | |
| A missile operator acting alone because of a “communications breakdown” had mistaken the Boeing 737 for a cruise missile heading towards a sensitive IRGC site and only had 10 seconds to decide whether to fire, he said. | A missile operator acting alone because of a “communications breakdown” had mistaken the Boeing 737 for a cruise missile heading towards a sensitive IRGC site and only had 10 seconds to decide whether to fire, he said. |
| “He was obliged to make contact and get verification. But, apparently, his communications system had some disruptions. Either the ‘jamming’ system was the cause or the network was busy,” said the Iranian general. | “He was obliged to make contact and get verification. But, apparently, his communications system had some disruptions. Either the ‘jamming’ system was the cause or the network was busy,” said the Iranian general. |
| However, flight-tracking website FlightRadar24 showed the flight following its normal route and travelling at just over 500 kmh (310 mph) – far slower than a cruise missile. Nine flights had left Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International airport that morning before the Ukrainian airliner without encountering trouble. | However, flight-tracking website FlightRadar24 showed the flight following its normal route and travelling at just over 500 kmh (310 mph) – far slower than a cruise missile. Nine flights had left Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International airport that morning before the Ukrainian airliner without encountering trouble. |
| Air crash experts have also raised serious concerns since the accident over the handling of the crash site, including the removal of debris, sparking fears that Tehran sought to eliminate evidence from the area. | |
| While Iranians rallied around their leaders in a show of national unity after Suleimani’s assassination, many are now demanding to know why the authorities did not shut down the country’s airspace when they feared US reprisals were possible. | While Iranians rallied around their leaders in a show of national unity after Suleimani’s assassination, many are now demanding to know why the authorities did not shut down the country’s airspace when they feared US reprisals were possible. |
| There is also mounting anger that the retaliatory strikes in Iraq were finely calibrated to ensure no US casualties but scores of Iranians and Iranian-Canadians were killed in Wednesday’s crash by their own forces. | There is also mounting anger that the retaliatory strikes in Iraq were finely calibrated to ensure no US casualties but scores of Iranians and Iranian-Canadians were killed in Wednesday’s crash by their own forces. |
| The disaster also has sinister echoes of a 1988 incident, when a US warship accidentally shot down an Iranian airliner, killing 290 people. Tehran maintains the attack was intentional. | The disaster also has sinister echoes of a 1988 incident, when a US warship accidentally shot down an Iranian airliner, killing 290 people. Tehran maintains the attack was intentional. |
| Hundreds of people gathered to protest on Saturday evening around Tehran’s Amir Kabir university, where students shouted “[Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei is over” and called his government “shameless”. In a rare report on the civil unrest, the semi-official Fars news agency said that demonstrators had ripped up pictures of Suleimani. | |
| The supreme leader himself expressed his deep sympathy to the families of victims and called on the armed forces to investigate the painful incident, as has Rouhani. | |
| It is still unclear, however, when the two leaders learned of the attack. Gen Hajizadeh said he raised with his superiors that Iran could be responsible for the crash in the immediate aftermath, but the ayatollah and the president only acknowledged the strike on Saturday. | It is still unclear, however, when the two leaders learned of the attack. Gen Hajizadeh said he raised with his superiors that Iran could be responsible for the crash in the immediate aftermath, but the ayatollah and the president only acknowledged the strike on Saturday. |
| Experts said mounting international scrutiny would have made it all but impossible to hide signs of a missile strike during any investigation and Tehran may have felt it best to make a swift policy reversal than battle rising criticism abroad. | Experts said mounting international scrutiny would have made it all but impossible to hide signs of a missile strike during any investigation and Tehran may have felt it best to make a swift policy reversal than battle rising criticism abroad. |
| Iran has invited investigators from Canada and Ukraine and from Boeing to visit the crash site and said it would also welcome representatives of other countries whose citizens were killed. | Iran has invited investigators from Canada and Ukraine and from Boeing to visit the crash site and said it would also welcome representatives of other countries whose citizens were killed. |
| Both the Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, and the Ukrainian, president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, have said they are focused on accountability and justice for the families of victims. | Both the Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, and the Ukrainian, president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, have said they are focused on accountability and justice for the families of victims. |
| “Even before the termination of the international commission, Iran has pleaded guilty to crashing the Ukrainian plane. But we insist on full admission of guilt, Zelenskiy said. | “Even before the termination of the international commission, Iran has pleaded guilty to crashing the Ukrainian plane. But we insist on full admission of guilt, Zelenskiy said. |
| “We expect from Iran assurances of readiness for full and open investigation, bringing those responsible to justice, returning the bodies of the dead.” | “We expect from Iran assurances of readiness for full and open investigation, bringing those responsible to justice, returning the bodies of the dead.” |
| Additional reporting by Leyland Cecco |