DUBAI – Iran’s admission that it shot down a Ukrainian airliner, killing all 176 aboard, has provoked international outrage and triggered growing protests against Iranian authorities in Tehran and other cities.
In what President Hassan Rouhani called a “disastrous mistake,” Iran said on Saturday that a missile fired in error on Jan. 8 by its air defenses while on alert after Iranian missile strikes on United States targets in Iraq, brought down the plane.
Foreign governments condemned the downing of the plane, with Ukraine demanding compensation. Canada, Ukraine and Britain, however, called Tehran’s admission an important first step.
Ukraine International Airlines said Iran should have closed the airport. The carrier said it had received no indication it faced a threat and was cleared for takeoff.(Reuters)
