“The World Is Watching”: Five Countries Demand Iran Pay Reparations To Crash Victims’ Families

Perhaps this is why some Iranian sources tried to do an about-face and blame the crash of UIA Flight 752 on an American cyberattack: Canada and four other nations whose nationals died in the crash are demanding that Iran accept responsibility and – more importantly – compensate the victims’ families. 

According to Reuters, Canada, Ukraine, Sweden, Afghanistan and Britain said Iran should hold a “thorough, independent and transparent international investigation open to grieving nations” in a joint statement released following a meeting in London between officials from the various countries.

Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois-Philippe Champagne

The Boeing 737-800 was struck by two missiles on Jan. 8 just minutes after taking off from the international airport in Tehran, en route to Kiev. Iran admitted on Saturday that a military missile operator fired on the plane in error, believing it might be a cruise missile (the plane was notably shot down just hours after Iran launched a counterattack on an American base). All 176 passengers & crew on board the plane, including 57 Canadians, were killed.

To be sure, ost of those traveling on the flight were Iranian students headed back to school abroad, hence the theme of the public outrage that followed Iran’s admission of guilt.

Iran has arrested those it says were responsible for the mistake.

The five countries have also asked Iran to identify victims with “dignity and transparency” and work with domestic officials and victims’ families as they seek the return of their loved ones’ remains.

“The eyes of the international community are on Iran today. I think that Iran has a choice, and the world is watching,” Canadian foreign minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said at a news conference in London.

Ministers from all five countries gathered before the presser to light candles commemorating the victims at the Canadian High Commission in London.

Of course, such a settlement would likely stretch into the 100s of millions of dollars, which would seriously cut into Iran’s budget for financing Shiite militias across the region (thanks to President Trump’s sanctions, the country is once again struggling to find buyers for its oil, limiting revenue).