Iran has taken responsibility for the incident involving the Ukrainian airliner where it was mistaken for a hostile aircraft. It has prompted calls for a full investigation and for authorities in Tehran to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Iranian officials said military personnel targeted Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, bound for Kyiv, early Wednesday as it turned toward a “sensitive military site” shortly after departing from Tehran’s international airport.
Ukraine has led demands for compensation and accountability, which could force Iran to appease the international community with a rare public reckoning over a military action. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, urged the nation’s military to conduct a thorough inquiry.
Many Iranians on the plane were students. Campuses became a gathering place for grief and rage.
The General Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces apologized for what it said was “human error that caused the crash” of the Boeing 737-800.
“Human error at time of crisis caused by U.S. adventurism led to disaster,” he tweeted, adding a red broken-heart emoji.
Culled from Washington Post
