Congress: Tehran Stonewalled Ukrainian Plane Crash Investigation

Rescue teams work amidst debris after a Ukrainian plane crashed near Imam Khomeini airport in Tehran. (AFP)
Rescue teams work amidst debris after a Ukrainian plane crashed near Imam Khomeini airport in Tehran. (AFP)
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Congress: Tehran Stonewalled Ukrainian Plane Crash Investigation

Rescue teams work amidst debris after a Ukrainian plane crashed near Imam Khomeini airport in Tehran. (AFP)
Rescue teams work amidst debris after a Ukrainian plane crashed near Imam Khomeini airport in Tehran. (AFP)

US Congresswoman Claudia Tenney confirmed that Iran has stonewalled the investigation in the 2020 Ukrainian plane crash.

“Iran stonewalled the investigation and has not taken any real steps to deliver justice to the families impacted. Join me in urging US Envoy to Iran to put this issue on his agenda,” she said in a tweet.

Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 was shot down shortly after take-off from Tehran's Imam Khomeini airport on January 8, 2020, killing all 176 people on aboard. Most were Iranians, British, and Canadians.

After days of ambiguity and stalling, Iran admitted that a group from the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has mistaken the plane for a missile.

Tehran says Revolutionary Guards accidentally shot down the Boeing 737 jet, blaming the jet crash on a misaligned radar and an error by the air defense operator.

In a final report in March, the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization (CAO) pointed to the missile strikes and the "alertness" of its troops on the ground amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States at the time.

Iran's judiciary said a trial had opened in Tehran for 10 minor military members in connection with the jet's downing.

Meanwhile, families of the victims gathered Saturday at Tehran's Imam Khomeini Airport, from where the Ukrainian airliner crashed shortly after takeoff, to demand justice.

They chanted slogans against officials in Tehran and described them as corrupt.

“Compensation Can Never Replace Justice,” the families said, insisting that perpetrators be bought to an impartial court.

They held up pictures of their loved ones, laid flowers and lit candles in their memory, while calling for "Justice! Truth!", videos shared on social media showed.

State television separately published an interview with the mother of Zahra Hassani Saadi, who died in the crash, in which she questioned the authorities' handling of the case.

"We have several questions, who will answer us? Why wasn't the flight cancelled? Why was the cruise missile fired? We don't know and no one explained it to us," she asked.



Turkish, Russian Diplomats Discuss Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks, Russian Ministry Says 

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan shakes hands with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov during a press conference in Ankara, Türkiye, February 24, 2025. (Reuters)
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan shakes hands with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov during a press conference in Ankara, Türkiye, February 24, 2025. (Reuters)
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Turkish, Russian Diplomats Discuss Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks, Russian Ministry Says 

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan shakes hands with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov during a press conference in Ankara, Türkiye, February 24, 2025. (Reuters)
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan shakes hands with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov during a press conference in Ankara, Türkiye, February 24, 2025. (Reuters)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan spoke on Monday to discuss Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin's proposal to hold direct Russian-Ukrainian talks this week in Türkiye, the Russian ministry said.

"The heads of the two ministries discussed issues linked with the initiative by Russian Federation President V.V. Putin about beginning direct talks on a Ukrainian settlement on 15th May in Istanbul," the ministry said in a statement.

A Turkish diplomatic source earlier said the two ministers had spoken, but gave no further details.

Putin issued the proposal at the weekend after European leaders met in Kyiv and urged Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire in its war in Ukraine by Monday or face new sanctions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy responded by saying he was prepared to meet Putin in Türkiye on Thursday.

On Monday, US President Donald Trump offered to join the prospective Ukraine-Russia talks in Türkiye.

Zelenskiy, in his nightly video address on Monday, said Russia had made no response to his proposal to hold talks with Putin on Thursday.

Zelenskiy said Trump supported the proposed meeting "and we would like him to find the opportunity to be in Türkiye."